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BY 

CAROLINE   FRENCH   BENTON 

Author  of  "  A  Little  Cook  Book,"  "  Easy  Entertaining,' 
"Living  on  a  Little,"  "Easy  Meals,"  etc. 


BOSTON 

L.  C.   PAGE  &  COMPANY  (Inc.) 

PUBLISHERS 


Copyright,  1913 
By   Dana    Estes   81    Company 

All  rights  reserved 


Made  in  U.  S.  A. 


THE  COLONIAL  PRKRS 
C.  n.  BIMONDS  &  CO.,  BOSTON,  U.  S.  A. 


1^ 


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^t) 


3 


331 4  w/ 


Thanks  are  due  the  editors  of  the  Woman  s 
Home  Companion  for  permission  to  use  the 
articles  in  book  form  which  first  appeared  in 
that  magazine. 

Caroline  French  Benton. 


CONTENTS 


'HAPTER 

PAQB 

I. 

Introduction 

11 

II. 

The  Modern  Drama 

24 

III. 

Our  Own  Country 

40 

IV. 

The  Home   

56 

V. 

Myths  and  Folk  -  Lore 

69 

VI. 

A  Trip  Through  the  British  Isles  . 

83 

VII. 

The  Oper.\ 

100 

VIII. 

The  World's  Great  Painters     . 

114 

IX. 

Ten  American  Women  Writers  . 

131 

X. 

Town  Improvement  

145 

XL 

Holland 

160 

XII. 

The  Homelike  House     .... 

175 

XIII. 

Nature 

193 

XIV. 

The  Great  English  Novelists    . 

207 

XV. 

English  Novelists  op  To-day    . 

.     221 

XVI. 

The  Gilded  Age  op  Louis  XIV. 

.     236 

XVII. 

Forestry      

250 

KYIII. 

Shakespeare 

.     257 

XIX. 

The  Employments  op  Women 

.     273 

XX. 

Important  Movements  of  Our  Times 

.     281 

XXI. 

The  Study  of  Childhood 

.     297 

XXII. 

Miscellaneous  Programs 

.     309 

WOMAN'S  CLUB  WORK 
AND  PROGRAMS 

CHAPTER   I 

Introduction 

how  to  begin  club  work 

The  time  has  long  since  passed  when  a  special 

plea  is  needed  for  the  existence  of  women's  clubs, 

for  actual  demonstration  has  proved  their  worth  to 

the    individual   and    to   society.      Multitudes    of 

women   on   farms,   on   remote   ranches,    in   little 

villages,  in  great  cities,  have  felt  their  impetus 

to  a  broader  and  more  useful  life.     They  have 

instructed  those  of  limited  education;    they  have 

given  a  wider  horizon  to  those  hemmed  in  by 

circumstance;     they   have   trained   the   timid   to 

speak,   and,   of   late  years,   they   have   prepared 

the  way  for  women  of  leisure  and  influence  to 

take  up  what  is  called  "  the  larger  housekeeping," 

the  bettering  of  social  and  civic  conditions. 

But  many  women  today  still  feel  a  certain  ti- 
ll 


12         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

midity  about  venturing  to  start  a  club,  and  an 
inability  to  make  out  a  consistent  line  of  study. 
They  have  a  lingering  idea  that  it  is  all  difficult, 
and  that  only  the  expert  may  try  to  handle 
these  things.  So  for  these  women  here  are  the 
simple,  fundamental  things  about  club  work, 
which  any  one  can  follow. 

If  you  would  like  to  organize  a  club,  begin  by 
making  out  a  list  of  ten  or  a  dozen  of  your  neigh- 
bors and  friends,  those  whose  interests  are  much 
like  your  own,  and  tell  them  that  you  think  it 
would  be  pleasant  to  have  some  sort  of  a  little 
circle  for  reading,  or  study,  or  social  companion- 
ship. Probably  they  will  all  have  something  to 
say  about  this,  and  various  ideas  will  be  advanced 
as  to  the  sort  of  club  which  is  most  desirable. 
Then,  after  it  is  talked  over,  you,  as  the  one 
who  suggested  the  meeting,  will  call  the  women  to 
order  and  ask  some  one  to  nominate  and  second 
a  temporary  chairman,  and,  after  she  is  elected, 
a  temporary  secretary. 

When  these  two  have  taken  their  seats  and 
the  secretary  is  ready  to  begin  taking  notes,  the 
chairman  will  appoint  several  committees,  with 
perhaps  two  members  on  each. 

The  first  will  be  the  Nominating  committee,  to 


AND    PROGRAMS 13 

present  to  the  club  the  names  of  candidates  for 
the  offices  of  president,  vice-president,  secretary 
and  treasurer. 

The  second  will  be  on  a  Constitution,  which  is  to 
draw  up  very  simple  rules  to  guide  the  club,  telling 
of  its  aims,  the  number  of  officers  and  how  they 
are  to  be  elected,  the  dues,  the  time  and  place  of 
meeting,  and  whatever  else  is  thought  necessary. 

The  third  committee  will  be  on  Name;  it  will 
prepare  a  list  of  titles  to  be  chosen  from. 

The  fourth  committee  will  be  on  Program.  This 
will  offer  possible  lines  of  work. 

These  committees  will  be  sufficient  to  begin 
with.  The  chairman  can  then  tell  when  and  where 
the  next  meeting  will  be  held  and  declare  this  one 
adjourned. 

At  the  second  meeting  the  same  chairman  as 
before  will  take  her  place  and  call  for  the  reading 
of  the  minutes  of  the  last  meeting.  When  these 
are  read  and  accepted,  she  will  ask  for  the  report 
of  the  Nominating  committee,  and  when  it  is 
presented,  the  officers  will  be  voted  for,  either 
viva  voce,  or  by  ballot,  as  the  club  prefers. 

The  new  president  and  secretary  will  then  take 
their  chairs,  and  the  business  of  hearing  the  re- 
ports of  the  other  committees  will  go  on.    When  a 


14         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

name  for  the  club  has  been  chosen,  the  constitu- 
tion read  and  voted  upon  article  by  article,  and 
the  program  planned,  the  president  will  name 
different  chairmen  to  take  charge  of  several  fol- 
lowing meetings;  then  this  first  regular  meeting 
may  adjourn,  feeling  that  the  club  is  successfully 
launched. 

From  this  point  the  work  should  go  on  smoothly. 
The  president  will  find  her  part  of  it  much,  easier, 
however,  if  she  will  get  a  little  book,  called  the 
Woman's  Manual  of  Parliamentary  Law,  to 
which  she  can  refer  when  any  point  of  order  comes 
up  with  which  she  is  not  familiar. 

Once  a  club  is  started,  the  great  question  is. 
What  shall  we  study  .'^  And  of  course  the  field  is 
limited  only  by  the  tastes,  the  education  of  the 
members,  and  the  number  of  books  to  which  the 
club  can  have  access.  If  there  is  a  good  public 
library,  they  may  choose  almost  any  literary  sub- 
ject. If  there  is  none,  the  next  thing  is  to  find 
out  if  a  travelling  library  can  be  had  from  the 
state  librarian,  and  whether  enough  books  can  be 
borrowed  to  cover  the  whole  subject  thoroughly. 
If  members  can  have  neither  of  these  helps,  then 
the  contents  of  individual  libraries  must  be  dis- 
cussed, and  a  subject  must  be  selected  which  needs 


AND   PROGRAMS  15 

few  books  to  work  with.  It  is  to  be  noted  that 
a  good  general  reference  book  will  be  found  most 
useful,  even  if  a  practical  subject  is  finally  decided 
upon. 

One  of  the  great  dangers  a  new  club  has  to  face 
is  the  ambitious  tendency  to  begin  with  some  ab- 
struse, difficult  subject  rather  than  with  a  simple 
one.  The  Literature  of  India,  or  the  Philosophy 
of  the  Greeks  may  be  tempting,  but  even  with  all 
the  reference  books  in  the  world  such  sub- 
jects are  a  mistake  for  beginners.  Something 
should  be  selected  which  is  interesting  to  every 
one,  not  too  far  away  from  their  every  day  read- 
ing, not  too  utterly  unfamiliar.  A  country  club 
may  like  a  season  on  Bird  Study.  A  village  club 
may  find  Town  Improvement  full  of  suggestions. 
A  city  club  can  study  some  American  Authors, 
or  the  Public  Schools. 

If  all  these  things  still  seem  too  difficult  to  be- 
gin with,  then  at  least  an  Embroidery  Club  may  be 
founded  as  the  very  simplest  foundation  possible, 
the  members  to  come  each  week  with  their  fancy 
work  and  listen  to  one  member  who  reads  aloud 
something  entertaining.  This  may  do  for  a 
first  season,  and  the  second,  a  study  subject 
may  be  taken  up. 


16         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Sometimes  where  there  is  no  library  at  hand, 
a  Magazine  Club  makes  a  good  preliminary  step 
to  larger  things.  Members  tell  a  chairman  what 
magazines  they  take,  and  agree  to  have  them  at 
the  home  of  the  chairman  one  day  each  week  or 
fortnight.  She  will  look  them  over  and  divide 
the  contents  into  several  parts,  travel,  biography, 
essays,  stories,  poetry,  and  so  on.  Then  she  will 
portion  out  among  the  members  parts  of  th«  pro- 
grams; one  meeting  may  be  on  travel  only,  a 
second  on  essays,  a  third  on  poetry,  three  or  four 
members  reading  selections  from  articles  on 
tTiese.  Or,  the  programs  may  be  varied  by  com- 
bining two  or  more  subjects.  This,  too,  makes  a 
good  training  for  a  serious  study  in  a  second  year, 
especially  if  a  discussion  of  the  subjects  becomes 
a  regular  part  of  each  meeting. 

Clubs  which  have  gone  beyond  these  two  early 
stages  of  development,  or  which  have  never  been 
compelled  to  pass  through  them,  may  begin  work 
with  some  literary  topic.  A  Year  of  Biography, 
covering  the  lives  of  great  men  and  women  of 
America  or  England,  is  a  good  first  subject,  vrith 
plenty  of  material.  The  writings  of  Emerson, 
Hawthorne,  Poe  and  others  of  the  same  period, 
is  another.     Or,  the  novels  of  one  or  two  great 


AND    PROGRAMS  17 

writers,  George  Eliot,  Thackeray  and  Dickens, 
are  always  delightful,  especially  with  readings 
from  their  novels. 

Often  clubs  will  find  it  a  good  plan  to  alternate 
some  study  subject  one  month  with  a  miscellane- 
ous topic  the  next,  by  way  of  variety.  Current 
topics,  too,  are  well  worthy  constant  study,  and 
these  can  be  used  as  a  sort  of  prelude  to  any 
regular  program. 

Musical  clubs  are  usually  limited  to  a  few 
members,  except  in  cities,  but  this  is  by  no  means 
necessary,  for  numbers  of  women  love  to  listen 
to  good  music  who  can  neither  play  nor  sing,  and 
perhaps  they  can  contribute  their  share  of  work  by 
writing  or  speaking  of  the  lives  of  the  composers. 

Clubs  interested  in  practical  themes  may  take 
up  civic  questions,  municipal  reforms,  or  children's 
courts,  or  cleaning  up  their  town,  or  studying  fac- 
tories, or  labor  laws.  There  is  an  excellent  maga- 
zine called  The  Survey  which  deals  with  all  these 
topics,  and  suggests  many  more  on  the  same  lines. 

Chairmen  sometimes  find  real  difficulty  in  ma- 
king out  club  programs,  puzzled  how  to  divide  a 
subject  into  its  best  points,  and  subdivide  each  of 
these  general  topics  into  others,  for  individual 
papers. 


18         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

One  of  the  best  plans  is  always  to  look  up  any 
subject  in  the  encyclopedia,  first  of  all.  It  is 
surprising  how  much  help  one  can  get  there,  for 
history,  art,  literature,  politics  and  everything 
else  can  be  found.  Then  next,  the  public  library 
is  to  be  consulted,  its  card  catalogue  looked 
over,  and  the  books  drawn  out,  or  at  least 
glanced  through  for  suggestions.  Magazines 
sooner  or  later  seem  to  have  articles  on  everything, 
and  the  library  will  offer  also  books  of  reference 
to  these.  In  case  the  subject  is  historical,  a  good 
high  school  history  may  be  consulted,  for  in  the 
table  of  contents  the  main  divisions  are  all 
clearly  given.  A  chairman  can  write  down  the 
outlines  of  all  she  gleans  from  these  varied  sources 
and  then  select  from  them  the  general  lines  of 
study  and  fill  these  in. 

Sometimes  when  there  is  no  library  at  hand,  a 
school  teacher  can  help  one  out  with  suggestions, 
or  perhaps  a  minister  may  have  books  on  the  sub- 
ject selected.  Or,  by  writing  directly  to  the  state 
librarian  books  may  be  borrowed  of  him.  Clubs 
which  have  a  small  yearly  fee  sometimes  buy  a 
book  or  so  a  year  and  keep  them  as  a  nucleus  of 
a  library. 

As  to   writing  club  papers,   there  personality 


AND   PROGRAMS  19 

comes  in,  and  education  and  training,  and  these 
give  a  certain  individuality  of  method  of  treating 
a  subject.  But  even  here  members  can  follow  out 
certain  definite  directions. 

Suppose,  to  make  the  matter  concrete,  that 
some  one  wishes  to  write  a  paper  on  Ruskin,  and 
does  not  know  exactly  how  to  go  to  work;  here 
is  a  general  plan: 

First,  of  course,  she  should  read  something  on 
his  life,  —  a  book,  an  article  in  a  magazine,  or 
anything  she  can  get,  and  the  more  she  can  read 
the  better  paper  she  will  write.  Next  she  should 
divide  her  subject  into  its  parts;  in  this  case  there 
might  be  three:  Ruskin 's  life;  his  work;  his 
influence. 

The  first  topic  would  cover  his  home,  his  early 
education,  the  influence  of  his  mother,  and  his 
gradual  growth  into  his  place  in  the  world. 

The  second  would  take  up  what  he  did;  his 
travels,  his  interest  in  painting,  architecture,  ec- 
onomics and  sociology;  his  friends,  his  controversy 
with  Whistler  and  its  outcome,  his  contact  with 
Oxford,  and  the  books  he  wrote. 

The  third  would  be  a  resume  of  what  Ruskin 
actually  accomplished;  of  the  value  of  his  work  to 
society,  and  his  influence  oil  social  problems;  and 


20        WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

the  question  would  be  raised.  Are  his  views 
considered  sound  today? 

Such  a  paper,  illustrated  by  brief  readings, 
would  be  of  a  certain  value,  for  it  would  be  clear, 
concise,  and  full  of  matter  which  would  probably 
be  fresh  to  many  club  members;  and  any  subject 
may  be  treated  in  the  same  general  way;  one 
has  only  to  choose  one  on  which  plenty  of  material 
can  be  found,  then  read  everything  to  be  had  on 
it,  make  out  an  outline  of  three  or  four  topics 
covering  the  whole  and  take  these  up  one  by  one, 
illustrating  with  anecdotes,  quotations  and  the 
estimates  of  others,  and  the  paper  is  sure  to  be 
interesting.  What  should  never  be  done  is  to 
write  a  paper  without  making  an  outline;  the 
result  of  that  is  vagueness  and  repetition. 

The  value  of  a  discussion  after  a  paper  cannot 
be  over-estimated.  One  joins  a  club  not  so  much 
to  acquire  information,  because  that  can  be  done 
by  reading  books  at  home,  but  rather  to  learn  to 
express  oneself  readily  and  intelligently.  This  is 
why  in  planning  a  club  it  is  best  to  emphasize  the 
two  points;  first,  that  members  must  talk  over 
the  subjects  at  the  close  of  each  meeting,  speak- 
ing briefly  and  always  to  the  point;  and  second, 
that  papers  should  not  be  too  long,  or  too  heavy. 


AND    PROGRAMS  21 

but  full  of  matter,  interesting,  and  above  all, 
suggestive. 

Debates  are  always  of  value  to  club  women, 
for  as  we  know  too  well,  they  are  not  naturally 
logical;  debating  soon  shows  one  how  easy  it  is 
to  think  in  a  hazy,  indefinite  way,  and  how  diffi- 
cult to  say  clearly  and  concisely  what  is  to  be 
said. 

It  will  be  necessary,  of  course,  to  learn  the  ac- 
cepted methods  of  debating,  and  know  how  to 
present  the  points  of  the  argument  progressively 
and  with  a  climax,  as  well  as  to  anticipate  the 
points  likely  to  be  made  by  the  opponent.  Each 
side  must  also  be  limited  as  to  time. 

As  to  the  subject  of  a  debate,  it  is  a  safe  rule 
to  choose  the  concrete  rather  than  the  abstract, 
a  large  subject  rather  than  a  limited  one,  and 
one  of  general  interest.  There  should  also  be  two 
well  defined  sides,  rather  than  something  ac- 
cepted by  everybody.  Such  things  as  the  views 
of  some  writer  on  socialism,  or  the  permanency  of 
the  work  of  a  well-known  novelist  or  poet,  or 
political,  but  not  partizan,  questions  are  always 
acceptable. 

To  make  club  work  successful  year  after  year 
it  should  be  remembered  that  a  club  is  not  a 


22         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

university;  that  it  should  not  be  scholastic,  but 
full  of  human  interests.  Tastes  of  members  vary, 
and  so  the  subjects  selected  should  be  attractive, 
fresh,  and  stimulating.  In  a  large  club  there  may 
be  committees  on  different  subjects,  art,  civics, 
child  study  and  the  like,  each  one  a  little  club 
in  itself,  meeting  weekly,  and  the  whole  club 
can  gather  once  a  month  and  the  committees  in 
turn  present  a  program  on  their  special  subjects, 
and  so  every  member  be  satisfied.  As  years  go 
by  it  will  be  found  that  members  grow  to  like 
subjects  other  than  those  they  began  with,  and 
more  general  work  will  be  taken  up. 

Last  of  all,  to  have  a  successful  club  it  is  es- 
sential that  there  should  be  no  members  who  are 
mere  listeners.  Each  woman  actually  has  some- 
thing to  contribute,  if  only  in  a  very  quiet  way, 
and  a  good  chairman  of  a  program  can  find  out 
what  this  is ;  the  little  talent  may  take  shape  in  a 
paper,  or  a  talk,  or  a  part  in  a  discussion,  or  some 
music,  or  only  a  quotation  or  a  reading.  But  a 
club  is  worth  just  as  much  to  a  member  as  she 
puts  into  it,  and  no  more.  Any  woman  who  is  not 
willing  to  do  something  in  the  way  of  real  work 
should  drop  out  and  give  some  one  else  the  place 
which  she  occupies  but  does  not  fill. 


AND    PROGRAMS  23 

Two  methods  are  followed  in  the  programs 
offered  to  clubs  in  this  book.  First,  a  year's  work 
is  divided  up  into  ten  meetings  with  four  or  five 
papers  suggested  for  each  meeting  with  readings 
and  bibliography.  Second,  the  year's  work  is 
again  divided  into  ten  meetings,  but  it  is  left  to 
clubs  to  choose  from  the  material  furnished  how 
many  papers  shall  be  written  and  what  their  titles 
shall  be.  The  material  offered  in  either  case  is 
sufficient  for  twenty  meetings  or  more;  indeed, 
in  some  cases,  one  theme  might  be  expanded  for 
the  work  of  several  years. 


24        WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 


CHAPTER  II 

The  Modern  Drama 

i  —  beginning    of    modern    english   drama  — 
the  age  of  elizabeth 

1.  First  Paper  (Introductory):  Beginning  of 
English  Drama  —  Origin  in  the  miracle-plays. 
Influence  of  the  Renaissance.  Change  in  the 
form  of  the  drama  through  foreign  influences. 

2.  Ben  Jonson  —  Story  of  his  life;  character 
of  his  plays;   his  devotion  to  the  classics. 

3.  Beaumont  and  Fletcher,  Massinger,  Ford, 
and  Webster. 

4.  Shakespeare —  Story  of  his  life;  how  his 
plays  were  made;  his  imagination,  wit,  and 
tenderness;    his  supremacy. 

5.  The  Theater  in  the  Time  of  Elizabeth  — 
Scenery,  seating  arrangements,  costumes,  ab- 
sence of  women  actors;    famous  theaters. 

Readings  from  —  Jonson's  Every  Man  in 
His  Humour.  Beaumont  and  Fletcher's  Knight 
of  the  Burning  Pestle.  Shakespeare  —  History: 
Henry  V.    Comedy:  As  You  Like  It.    Tragedy: 


AND   PROGRAMS  25 

Macbeth.  Fancy:  Midsummer  Night's  Dream. 
Sentiment:   Romeo  and  Juliet. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Taine:  History  of  Eng- 
lish Literature:  Book  II.,  Chapter  II.  Hamilton 
Mabie:  Shakespeare.  The  Mermaid  Series  of 
Dramatists. 

In  addition  to  these  papers  have  short  readings 
from  Kenilworth,  and  Miss  Strickland's  Queens 
of  England,  giving  a  clear  idea  of  Elizabeth. 
Read  also  from  Jonson's  Sad  Shepherd,  the 
Masque  of  Oberon  and  the  Masque  of  Queens. 
Give  a  sketch  of  the  modem  reproduction  of 
an  old  miracle-play,  called  Everyman,  with  a 
selection.  Close  with  Shakespeare's  estimate  of 
Jonson,  and  Jonson's  estimate  of  Shakespeare, 
and  show  photographs  of  Shakespeare,  his  birth- 
place, Anne  Hathaway's  cottage,  the  Avon,  the 
parish  church, 

II  —  THE  RISE  OF  MODERN  COMEDY 

1.  Beaumarchais  —  Story  of  his  life.  Char- 
acteristics. Readings  from  The  Barber  of 
Seville  and  The  Marriage  of  Figaro.  The 
modern  operas  founded  on  these. 

2.  Moliere  —  His  humble  origin,  rise  and  rela- 
tion to  the  court.    His  matrimonial  unhappiness 


26        WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

and  estimate  of  women.  Readings  from  Les 
Precieuses  Ridicules,  Tartuffe  and  Sganarelle. 
Quotations   from    modern    estimates    of  Moliere. 

3.  English  Comedy  under  the  Restoration  —  Ef- 
fect on  the  drama  of  the  return  of  the  Stuarts. 
Estimates  of  the  following  writers  and  quotations 
from  the  plays  mentioned :  Sir  George  Etheredge: 
She  Wou'd  if  She  Cou'd.  William  Congreve:  The 
Double  Dealer.  William  Wycherley:  The  Plain 
Dealer.  Sir  John  Vanbrugh:  The  Relapse,  which 
is  said  to  have  created  the  fop  as  a  type.  George 
Farquhar:     The  Beaux'  Stratagem. 

4.  Comedy  under  the  Georges  —  Goldsmith  and 
Sheridan.  Birth  of  both  m  Ireland,  and  its  efiFect 
on  their  lives  and  work  as  dramatists.  Modern- 
ness.  Readings  from  The  Good-Natured  Man 
and  She  Stoops  to  Conquer.  Readings  from  The 
Rivals  and  The  School  for  Scandal.  Readings 
from  Irving's  Life  of  Goldsmith.  Description  of 
his  grave  by  the  Temple  Church,  London. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Van  Laun's  History  of 
French  Literature.  Translations  by  Van  Laun 
and  Curtis  Hidden  Page.  Lives  of  Moliere  by 
Chatfield-Taylor  and  Brander  Matthews.  The 
Mermaid  Library  (for  the  Restoration  Drama- 
tists). 


AND    PROGRAMS  27 

Between  the  September  and  the  October  pro- 
grams there  might  be  an  informal  morning  meet- 
ing, at  which  the  novel  by  Chatfield-Taylor, 
Fame's  Pathway,  of  which  Moliere  is  the  hero, 
might  be  read  in  whole  or  in  part.  It  gives  a 
vivid  description  of  the  stage  of  that  time.  In 
reading  The  School  for  Scandal,  The  Rivals  and 
She  Stoops  to  Conquer,  arrange  to  have  the  parts 
taken  by  several  of  the  club  and  have  a  rehearsal 
to  insure  a  smooth  rendering  of  these  bright  plays. 
An  additional  paper  for  this  program  might  be  on 
Jeremy  Collier's  famous  attack  on  the  stage,  and 
its  purifying  effect. 

Ill  —  THE  DRAMA  IN  ENGLAND;    VICTORIAN 
PERIOD 

1.  Early  Nineteenth-Century  Dramatic  Criti- 
cism —  Charles  Lamb's  selections  from  the  early 
English  dramatists.  His  great  love  of  the  stage, 
and  his  essays  describing  plays  and  actors  of 
his  time.  Essays  of  Hazlitt  and  of  Leigh  Hunt 
upon  the  stage. 

2.  Sheridan  Knowles  —  Readings  from  Vir- 
ginius.  Bulwer-Lytton  —  Readings  from  The  Lady 
of  Lyons  and  Richelieu. 

3.  Tom  Taylor  —  Readings  from  Our  American 


28        WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Cousin  and  The  Ticket  of  Leave  Man.    Robertson 

—  Readings  from  Society  and  Caste.     Boucicault 

—  Readings  from  London  Assurance;   Louis  XI.; 
and  The  Colleen  Bawn. 

4.  Irving  and  Terry  —  As  exponents  of  Shake- 
speare. Their  personalities.  Irving  as  a  manager. 
His  magnificent  stage-settings. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Brander  Matthews:  De- 
velopment of  the  Drama.  C.  M.  Gayley:  Rep- 
resentative English  Comedies.  H.  A.  Clapp: 
Reminiscences  of  a  Dramatic  Critic. 

The  immense  improvement  in  the  art  of  staging 
plays  in  this  period  is  an  excellent  topic  for  one 
paper.  The  famous  actors  also  may  be  studied: 
John  Kemble,  Edmund  Kean,  Macready,  and 
Helen  Martin  (Lady  Faucit),  for  the  earlier  years; 
the  Bancrofts,  the  Kendals,  and  Beerbohm  Tree, 
for  the  later.  Sothern's  great  success  as  Lord  Dun- 
dreary, Macready's  visit  to  the  United  States 
during  the  Civil  War,  and  the  popularity  of 
Irving  and  Terry  are  worthy  of  consideration. 
Particular  mention  may  be  made  of  plays  other 
than  Shakespearean,  in  which  Irving  and  Terry 
appeared:  The  Bells,  The  Lyons  Mail,  Faust, 
and  Tennyson's  Becket.  Read  from  Terry's  re- 
cently published  biography.   The  history  of  Drury 


AND   PROGRAMS  29 

Lane    and    Covent    Garden   theaters  deserves  a 
special  paper. 

IV  —  THE  GERMAN  DRAMA 

1.  Lessing  —  The  dulness  of  the  German  thea- 
ter up  to  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century. 
Paralysis  of  genius  by  the  Thirty  Years'  War. 
Lessing's  dramatic  criticism.  Readings  from 
Minna  von  Bamhelm,  and  Nathan  the  Wise. 
Translations  in  Bohn's  Library. 

2.  Goethe  —  His  life-story,  his  writings,  his 
influence.  German  admiration  for  Shakespeare 
largely  due  to  Goethe.  Description  of  life  at 
Weimar.  Goethe's  first  play:  Goetz  von  Ber- 
lichingen.  Readings  from  Egmont,  Iphigenia, 
and  Tasso.     Bohn's  Library. 

3.  Schiller  —  Relation  to  Goethe.  Comparison 
of  their  styles.  Readings  from  The  Robbers, 
Wallenstein,  Wilhelm  Tell,  Maria  Stuart,  Die 
Jungfrau  von  Orleans.    Bohn's  Library. 

4.  Later  German  Drama  —  Grillparzer.  Paul 
Heise.  Hauptmann:  reading  from  The  Sunken 
Bell.  Sudermann:  readings  from  Dame  Care, 
and  The  Joy  of  Living.  What  was  the  effect  of 
Ibsen  on  the  German  drama? 

Books    to    Consult  —  Witkowski:     German 


30        WOMAN'S    CLUB   WORK 

Drama  of  the  Nineteenth  Century.  Huneker: 
Iconoclasts.  Kuno  Francke:  German  Ideals  of 
To-day.    Whitman:   Teuton  Studies. 

Goethe  has  been  called  the  idol  of  the  German 
people,  and  the  major  part  of  this  program  may 
well  be  devoted  to  him.  Carlyle's  essay  on 
Goethe  is  a  famous  piece  of  writing,  and  the  life 
by  Lewes  is  as  interesting  as  a  novel  (see  the 
Everyman's  Library).  Follow  the  thirdr  paper 
with  a  reading  from  J.  G.  Robertson's  Schiller 
after  a  Century.  A  closing  talk  might  point 
out  the  sentimental  character  of  the  early  German 
dramas  as  contrasted  with  the  realism  of  those  of 
to-day.  Reference  should  also  be  made  to  the 
symbolic  plays. 

V  —  FRENCH  DRAMA 

1.  The  Romantic  Drama  —  Victor  Hugo.  The 
romantic  revival  in  all  European  literature. 
Influence  of  Scott's  novels.  Story  of  Hugo's 
life.  Early  struggles.  His  first  play;  politics 
and  exile.  Characteristics  of  his  style.  Readings 
from  Le    Roi  s'amuse,  Hernani,  and  Ruy  Bias. 

2.  Experiments  in  the  Drama  —  Augier :  At- 
tempt to  revive  the  classic  drama:  the  story  of 
Charlotte  Corday,  and  reading   from   the   play. 


AND   PROGRAMS  _31 

Scribe:     Improved    construction    of    the    play; 
reading  from  Valerie, 

3.  The  Drama  at  Its  Height  —  Dumas  fils. 
Comparison  of  the  father  and  the  son  in  literature. 
The  son's  ambition  to  reform  society  through  the 
stage.  The  first  problem  plays.  Description  of 
La  Dame  aux  Camelias.  Sardou:  Versatility 
of  subjects.  Skilful  construction  of  plot.  Tend- 
ency to  the  sensational  and  the  gruesome.  Read- 
ing from  Patrie. 

4.  The  Drama  To-day  —  Becque:  Theory  of 
evolution  applied  to  society;  Les  Corbeaux. 
Brieux:  Satire,  realism;  Blanchette,  Les  Trois 
Filles  de  M.  Dupont.  Rostand:  Romantic  and 
literary;  readings  from  Cyrano  de  Bergerac, 
L'Aiglon,  and  Chantecler.     Bernstein:    Relation 

'of  the  modern  Jew  to  the  stage;   politics  and  the 
drama  in  Paris;  Le  Voleur,  Samson. 

Books  to  Consult  —  A.  Filon:  The  Modern 
French  Drama.  Brander  Matthews:  French 
Dramatists  of  the  Nineteenth  Century.  Matthew 
Arnold:  Essay  on  the  French  Play  in  London. 

If  possible,  have  an  additional  paper  on  some 
of  the  interesting  French  actors:  Coquelin, 
Mounet-Sully,  Rejane,  and  Bernhardt.  Another 
and  briefer  paper  may  discuss  French  dramatic 


32         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

criticism,  easily  the  most  brilliant  of  our  time  in 
the  whole  world  of  letters.  Sarcey,  Claretie, 
Doumic,  and  Legouve  are  among  these  well- 
known  names.  Have  some  one  speak  of  the  Com- 
edie  Frangaise  and  its  influence  on  French  drama. 

VI  —  ENGLISH  DRAMA  OF  TO-DAY 

1.  Pinero  —  His  early  style  as  shown  in  The 
Profligate,  The  Amazons,  and  Trelawny  of  the 
Wells.  The  important  change  in  his  methods 
revealed  in  The  Second  Mrs.  Tanqueray,  and 
His  House  in  Order.  The  problem  play  in  Eng- 
lish. 

2.  Henry  Arthur  Jones  —  Study  of  The  Silver 
King,  Saints  and  Sinners,  The  Middleman,  The 
Liars,  and  The  Masquerader.  Comparison  of 
Pinero  and  Jones. 

3.  Grundy y  Wilde,  and  Carton  —  Sidney  Grundy : 
A  Fool's  Paradise,  A  White  Lie,  The  Greatest  of 
These.  Discussion  of  the  question  of  the  use  of 
tlie  stage  as  a  pulpit.  Oscar  Wilde:  Readings 
from  Lady  Windermere's  Fan,  and  The  Impor- 
tance of  Being  Earnest.  Discuss  the  place  of  satire 
in  human  life.  R.  C.  Carton:  Lord  and  Lady 
Algy.  Discuss  the  question  whether  comedy  at  its 
best  may  not  be  the  ideal  play. 


AND   PROGRAMS  33 

4.  Current  Playwrights  —  Stephen  Phillips:  the 
literary  playwright;  contrast  the  prose  and  the 
poetic  drama;  the  author's  dignity  and  grace; 
reading  from  Paolo  and  Francesca.  Barrier 
the  modem  Scotch  school  of  writers;  Barrie's 
humor;  readings  from  Peter  Pan,  Alice  Sit-by- 
the-Fire,  and  What  Every  Woman  Knows.  W. 
S.Maugham:  plays  planned  to  succeed;  lightness 
and  wit;  quantity  of  product;  readings  from  Jack 
Straw,  and  Lady  Frederick.  John  Galsworthy: 
the  stage  as  a  censor  of  morals;  spread  of 
socialist  theories;  quotations  from  Strife,  and 
Justice;  effect  of  latter  on  court  processes  in 
England. 

Books  to  Consult  —  E.  E.  Hale,  Jr. :  Dram- 
atists of  To-day.  W.Archer:  English  Dramatists 
of  To-day.  W.  Nicholson:  The  Struggle  for  a 
Free  Stage  in  London. 

Mention  the  many  plays  written  rather  for 
pure  literary  purposes  than  to  be  acted.  Notice 
those  especially  of  Tennyson,  Browning,  Swin- 
burne, and  Stephen  Phillips.  An  important 
factor  in  the  English  stage  is  the  censor,  who  must 
pass  judgment  on  all  plays  before  they  are  acted. 
Mark  the  effect  of  this  in  excluding  many  French 
plays  from  England.    Note  the  relation  between 


34         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

the  modern  English  novel  and  the  drama  as  illus- 
trated in  The  Prisoner  of  Zenda,  The  Little 
Minister,  The  Seats  of  the  Mighty,  Vanity  Fair 
(called  Becky  Sharp  as  a  play) ,  The  Eternal  City, 
The  Garden  of  Allah,  etc. 

VII  —  IBSEN 

1.  His  Life  —  Hard  youth.  Connection  with 
the  theater.  Struggle  to  gain  a  hearing."  Pub- 
lication of  Brand.  His  pension  and  financial 
independence.  Life  in  Rome.  Life  in  Germany. 
Change  from  poetry  to  prose.  His  friendships. 
His  death  and  public  funeral. 

2.  His  Temperament  and  Its  Influence  on  His 
Writings  —  Realism,  originality,  revolt  against 
conventions,  individualism,  pessimism,  irony. 
Views  of  woman.    Is  Ibsen  critic  or  prophet? 

3.  Influence  of  Ibsen  on  Modern  Drama  —  His 
technical  skill,  daring,  problem  plays.  Are  Ib- 
sen's themes  suited  to  the  stage  and  the  average 
audience?  Should  the  theater  preach  or  amuse, 
or  both? 

4.  Study  of  Three  Plays  —  Peer  Gynt,  The 
Pillars  of  Society,  A  Doll's  House.  Analysis  of 
plot,  description  of  chief  characters,  and  readings. 

5.  Study  of  Three  Plays  —  Ghosts,  The  Wild 


AND   PROGRAMS  35 

Duck,  Hedda  Gabler.  Analysis  of  plot,  descrip- 
tion of  chief  characters,  and  readings. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Brandes:  Henrik  Ibsen. 
Gosse:  Ibsen.  Bernard  Shaw:  Quintessence 
of  Ibsenism.  Moses:  Ibsen,  the  Man  and  His 
Plays. 

Ibsen  takes  a  place  to-day  with  the  philosophers 
as  well  as  the  dramatists.  In  fact,  the  most  inter- 
esting aspect  of  his  work  is  his  relation  to  social 
thinking  and  the  revolt  against  conventions.  It 
would  be  interesting  to  compare  views  on  the 
points  suggested.  In  what  differing  ways  do 
Ibsen's  plays  affect  the  club  members? 

VIII  —  BERNARD   SHAW  AND  THE  IRISH  MOVEMENT 

1.  Life  of  Bernard  Shaw  —  Dublin.  London. 
Beginning  of  serial  novel-writing.  Fabian  Society. 
Help  of  William  Archer.  First  play:  Widowers* 
Houses.  The  Philanderers.  Mrs.  Warren's  Pro- 
fession (rejected  by  the  censor). 

2.  Shaw's  Successful  Plays  —  Arms  and  the 
Man.  (Mansfield's  rendition.  Musical  version: 
The  Chocolate  Soldier.)  Candida.  You  Never 
Can  Tell.  The  Devil's  Disciple.  Captain  Brass- 
bound's  Conversion.  Man  and  Superman.  Show- 
ing up  of  Blanco  Posnet.  Fanny's  First  Play. 


36         WOMAN'S    CLUB   WORK 

3.  Bernard  Shawns  Qualities  —  His  manner- 
isms and  style.  His  attitude  toward  social  con- 
ventions. His  socialism.  His  attitude  toward 
religion. 

4.  William  Butler  Yeats  —  Dublin.  Encourage- 
ment from  Oscar  Wilde.  Stories  and  verse. 
Plays:  Land  of  Heart's  Desire;  Diarmind  and 
Grania;  Cathleen  in  Houlihan.  Influence  of 
Blake,  Shelley,  and  Maeterlinck. 

5.  Synge  —  Riders  to  the  Sea.  Well  of  the 
Saints.    Playboy  of  the  Western  World. 

Books  to  Consult  —  E.  E.  Hale,  Jr.:  Dram- 
atists of  To-day.  G.  K.  Chesterton:  Bernard 
Shaw.  H.  S.  Krans;  Wm.  Butler  Yeats  and  the 
Irish  School.  J.  M.  Synge:  Works  (4  vols.  Dublin, 
1910). 

A  supplementary  paper  may  be  written  on  the 
question.  Has  Shaw  a  positive  message  of  any 
importance,  or  is  he  merely  a  negative  critic.'* 
In  addition  there  may  be  selections  from  his  plays, 
showing  his  wit  and  clever  satire.  The  amusing 
comedy,  You  Never  Can  Tell,  may  be  read, 
the  parts  being  taken  by  members  of  the  club. 
Notice  also  the  appearance  in  America  of  the 
Irish  Players  under  the  management  of  Lady 
Gregory. 


AND    PROGRAMS  37 

IX  —  MAETERLINCK 

1.  Life  — Early  life  in  Ghent.  Paris,  1887. 
Influence  of  Villiers  de  I'lsle  Adam.  First  pub- 
lishing and  fame  through  Mirbeau's  article  in 
Figaro.  Translation  of  Ruysbroeck  and  his 
influence  on  Maeterlinck.     His  marriage. 

2.  Essays  —  The  Treasure  of  the  Humble. 
The  Life  of  the  Bee.  The  Buried  Temple.  The 
Double  Garden.      Death. 

3.  Plays  —  The  Blind.  Pelleas  and  Melisande. 
Aglavaine  and  Selysette.  Monna  Vanna.  Joy- 
zelle.  The  Blue  Bird.  Analysis  of  these  plays 
and  readings  from  them. 

4.  His  Place  in  Literature  —  What  is  the  mean- 
ing of  his  mysticism  and  his  symbolism .^^  What  is 
his  position  with  regard  to  religion?  Is  his  op- 
timism philosophically  justifiable?  Compare 
Maeterlinck  with  Bernard  Shaw  as  to  difference 
in  spirit  and  method. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Edward  Thomas:  Maet- 
erlinck. Arthur  Symons:  The  Symbolist  Move- 
ment.    E.  E.  Hale,  Jr.:    Dramatists  of  To-day. 

Maeterlinck's  chateau  is  especially  interesting: 
a  medieval  structure  with  a  great  court.  It  was 
here    that    one    of   his    leading  plays  was  given 


38         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

first,  before  a  large  company  of  his  friends,  with 
Madame  Maeterlinck  in  the  part  of  the  heroine. 
No  scenery  was  used,  but  the  action  took  place 
in  different  rooms  and  in  the  court.  Reference 
to  this  may  be  found  in  some  of  the  magazines 
of  the  time. 

X THE  AMERICAN  DRAMA 

1.  William  Dunlap  (1798-1815),  "Father  of 
American  Drama  "  —  His  numerous  plays.  In- 
fluence of  Kotzebue.    Study  with  Benjamin  West. 

2.  Campbell y  Howard,  and  DeMille  —  Bartley 
Campbell  (1843-1888) :  Matrimony,  Siberia.  Bron- 
son  Howard  ("  Dean  of  the  American  Drama  ") : 
Young  Mrs.  Winthrop,  The  Henrietta,  Shenan- 
doah. H.  C.  DeMille  (1850-1893):  Lord  Chum- 
ley,  The  Charity  Ball. 

3.  Gillette,  Belasco,  and  Klein  —  William  Gil- 
lette: The  Private  Secretary,  Secret  Service,  Too 
Much  Johnson,  Sherlock  Holmes.  David  Belasco: 
His  training  for  the  stage.  Early  melodrama. 
Stage  scenery  and  effects.  Miss  Helyett,  The 
Heart  of  Maryland,  Du  Barry,  The  Girl  of  the 
Golden  West.  Charles  Klein:  The  Music  Mas- 
ter, The  Lion  and  the  Mouse,  The  Third  Degree. 

4.  Fitch,  Thomas,  and  Moody  —  Clyde  Fitch: 


AND    PROGRAMS  39 

Brief  Biography.  Beau  Brummel,  The  Liar, 
Nathan  Hale,  Captain  Jinks,  The  Blue  Mouse, 
The  City.  Compare  Fitch's  skill  and  ethical 
standards  with  those  of  Thomas.  Augustus 
Thomas:  Alabama,  Arizona,  The  Harvest  Moon, 
As  a  Man  Thinks.  William  Vaughan  Moody: 
The  college  professor  as  playwright.  The  Great 
Divide,  The  Faith  Healer. 

Books  to  Consult  —  W.  J.  Moses :  The 
American  Dramatist.  Norman  Hapgood:  The 
Stage  in  America.  Walter  P.  Eaton :  The  Ameri- 
can Stage  of  To-day.  W.  D,  Adams:  Dictionary 
of  the  Drama.  2  vols.  (English  and  American). 

After  this  program  have  a  discussion  on  the 
question:  Are  women  responsible  for  the  char- 
acter of  the  modern  drama .^^  Take  up  also  women's 
theater  clubs,  designed  to  pass  judgment  on  new 
plays.  Does  the  weight  of  their  expressed  opin- 
ion influence  the  management?  On  the  whole, 
are  the  morals  of  the  drama  improving? 


40         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 


CHAPTER  III 

Our  Own  Country 

In  studying  American  history  it  is  best  to  dis- 
regard the  natural  divisions  of  decades  and  cen- 
turies and  take  it  up  by  periods;  programs  on  these 
may  cover  as  many  meetings  as  necessary.  The 
books  suggested  from  time  to  time  may  be  read 
at  home,  or  aloud  in  some  of  the  meetings.  One 
good  reference  book  which  all  members  can  use 
is  John  Fiske's  History  of  the  United  States  for 
Schools.  It  has  maps,  questions,  and  other  helps. 
The  first  period  is  that  of 

I  —  DISCOVERY 

Begin  with  the  stories  of  the  voyages  of  the 
Norsemen  across  the  sea.  Are  these  considered 
historically  true  to-day .^^  Follow  with  the  three 
.  oyages  of  Columbus,  what  he  accomplished  and 
where  he  failed.  Americus  Vespucius  and  the 
Cabots  come  next,  and  the  subject  of  the  Spanish 
explorations  in  the  South,  particularly  in  Florida. 

Ponce  de  Leon,  Coronado,  and   De  Soto  are 


AND    PROGRAMS  41 

all  fascinating  topics  for  brief  talks.  The  Hugue- 
nots made  one  settlement  in  Florida  of  peculiar 
interest,  and  this  is  written  of  in  a  novel  called 
Flamingo  Feather,  by  Munroe. 

The  period  ends  with  the  discovery  by  the 
French  of  the  Canadian  country  and  the  establish- 
ment of  the  fisheries  in  Newfoundland. 

Read  Francis  Parkman  on  Champlain  and  the 
wonderful  stories  of  the  Jesuit  missionaries  on  the 
St.  Lawrence  and  the  lakes. 

II  —  COLONIZATION 

1.  The  London  Company  is  responsible  for 
the  settling  of  both  the  South  and  the  North. 
Begin  with  the  study  of  Virginia,  the  history  of 
Sir  Walter  Raleigh  and  John  Smith.  Then  give 
plenty  of  time  to  these  important  topics:  The 
founding  of  Jamestown,  the  different  governors 
and  their  policies,  the  Indians  and  their  relations 
to  the  colonists,  the  beginning  of  slavery,  the 
raising  of  tobacco,  and  the  coming  from  England 
of  indentured  servants.  Read  Mary  Johnston's 
To  Have  and  To  Hold,  which  gives  an  excellent 
picture  of  the  times. 

Note  the  changes  in  the  colony  when  Charles 
I.  came  to  the  throne  and  the  cavaliers  came  over, 


42         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

bringing  something  of  luxury  with  them.  In  clo- 
sing the  period  mention  Bacon's  rebellion.  Read 
from  John  Esten  Cooke's  Virginia:  a  History  of 
the  People,  and  also  White  Aprons,  by  Maud 
Wilder  Goodwin. 

2.  The  northern  branch  of  the  great  English 
trading  company  was  called  the  Plymouth  Com- 
pany. Of  the  many  sea  captains  who  came  over 
to  explore  and  sometimes  to  try  and  settle, 
Bartholomew  Gosnold  accomplished  the  most; 
he  found  Cape  Cod  and  Martha's  Vineyard,  and 
made  a  short-lived  colony.  John  Smith  came 
also,  and  gave  the  country  the  name  of  New  Eng- 
land. 

At  this  point  take  up  the  subject  of  the  Puritans 
in  England,  and  what  brought  them  to  America. 
Read  of  the  Speedivell  and  the  Mayflower,  the 
voyage  of  the  latter  and  the  landing  of  the  Pil- 
grim Fathers.  Have  a  paper  on  the  first  winter 
with  its  hardships,  and  other  papers  on  the  great 
men  of  the  colony,  Governor  Carver,  Governor 
Bradford,  John  Winthrop,  William  Brewster,  and 
Miles  Standish.  Study  the  topic  of  the  founding 
of  churches  and  schools,  the  relations  with  the 
Indians,  and  the  establishment  of  new  settle- 
ments, through  Massachusetts  and  beyond.    Read 


AND    PHOGRAMS  43 


S.  G.  Fisher's  Men,  Women,  and  Manners  in 
Colonial  Times,  Mrs.  Austen's  Standisli  of  Stand- 
ish,  and  Longfellow's  Miles  Standish. 

The  religious  difficulties  of  the  times  deserve 
special  notice,  because  of  their  results;  read  the 
stories  of  Roger  Williams,  Anne  Hutchinson,  and 
Thomas  Hooker.  The  work  of  John  Eliot  for  the 
Indians  should  not  be  forgotten,  nor  the  rise  and 
spread  of  witchcraft;  on  this  last  read  Ye  Little 
Salem  Maid,  by  Hopkins.  Close  the  period  with 
King  Philip's  War,  and  notice  how  many  colonies 
now  existed. 

3.  The  Dutch  of  the  early  seventeenth  century 
were  among  the  most  famous  navigators  of  the 
world,  and  the  East  India  Company,  founded  by 
them,  sent  out  ships  all  over  the  seas.  One  of 
these,  the  little  Half  Moon,  commanded  by  an 
Englishman  in  their  ,employ,  Henry  Hudson, 
sailed  all  along  the  northern  coast,  and  up  the 
Hudson  River  as  far  as  Albany.  Others  followed 
him;  the  New  Netherlands  Company  was  or- 
ganized for  trading  in  furs,  and  little  settlements 
were  made  by  them.  In  1626  Peter  Minuit,  the 
Governor,  bought  Manhattan  Island  from  the 
Indians  for  less  then  twenty-five  dollars  in  beads 
and  ribbons,  and  founded  New  Amsterdam. 


44         WOMAN'S    CLUB   WORK 

From  the  beginning  this  colony  prospered. 
Peter  Stuyvesant  was  its  most  famous  figure, 
but  the  whole  history  of  the  life  of  the  patroons 
is  well  worth  reading.  The  colony  passed  into 
the  hands  of  the  English,  and  was  renamed  New 
York,  but  the  people  remained  Dutch  for  many 
years.  Irving's  History  of  New  York  and 
Amelia  Barr's  Bow  of  Orange  Ribbon  give  a  good 
idea  of  the  time. 

4.  The  founding  of  New  Jersey  and  Maryland 
come  next  in  order,  and  the  struggles  between 
Catholics,  Puritans,  Episcopalians,  and  Quakers 
for  supremacy,  with  the  work  of  Lord  Baltimore 
and  Calvert,  and  the  intervention  of  Oliver  Crom- 
well. 

The  story  of  the  peaceful  founding  of  Pennsyl- 
vania by  William  Penn  follows  in  1681,  and  this, 
with  the  settling  of  the  Carolinas  and  Georgia, 
may  be  taken  up  rather  briefly.  The  coming  of 
Germans,  Scotch  Highlanders,  and  Scotch-Irish 
to  these  southern  colonies  is  to  be  mentioned. 
The  war  between  England  and  Spain  affected  the 
relations  between  the  Spanish  settlers  of  Florida 
and  the  English  of  Georgia,  and  led  to  trouble. 
Under  Governor  Oglethorpe  the  power  of  Spain 
in  America  was  overthrown. 


AND    PROGRAMS  45 

The  subject  of  the  opening  up  of  the  Mississippi 
Valley  should  be  studied  by  itself.  The  story  of 
La  Salle  is  as  interesting  as  any  novel;  read 
Parkman's  La  Salle  and  the  Discovery  of  the 
Great  West. 

Ill  —  THE   FRENCH   AND   INDIAN   WAR 

This  began  in  Canada  under  the  famous  Gover- 
nor Frontenac,  who  came  down  to  conquer  New 
York,  and  extended  throughout  the  North,  the 
middle  colonies,  and  the  Mississippi  Valley.  There 
might  easily  be  a  set  of  at  least  three  meetings  on 
this  theme.  The  massacres  of  the  Indians,  espe- 
cially that  at  Deerfield;  the  siege  of  Quebec;  the 
capture  of  Louisburg;  the  taking  of  Fort  Duquesne 
by  men  under  George  Washington;  the  coming 
of  Braddock,  and  his  campaign;  the  transporta- 
tion of  the  Acadians  from  Nova  Scotia  to  the 
South;  the  history  of  Sir  William  Johnson  and 
the  Indians;  the  fortifications  of  Fort  William 
Henry  and  Ticonderoga;  the  struggle  of  Wolfe 
and  Montcalm  at  Quebec,  and  the  final  overthrow 
of  French  power  in  our  country  should  all  be 
studied,  for  the  importance  of  this  period  of  our 
history  cannot  be  overestimated.  Read  Park- 
man's  histories:  Frontenac  and  New  France  Under 


46         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Louis  XIV.;  a  Half  Century  of  Conflict;  Mont- 
calm and  Wolfe;  and  the  Conspiracy  of  Pontiac. 
Some  of  Cooper's  novels  are  also  good,  Leather 
Stocking  Tales  especially;  and  Thackeray's  Vir- 
ginians may  be  read  in  part. 

IV  —  THE   REVOLUTION 

The  entire  history  of  the  war  must  of  course  be 
gone  over,  but  how  thoroughly  will  depend^  on  the 
individual  club.  At  least  the  causes  which  led  to 
it,  the  great  men  who  guided  the  nation  at  the 
time,  and  the  results  should  be  made  familiar. 

Read  first  of  England  at  the  time;  of  George 
HI.  and  his  ministers;  of  their  attitude  toward 
the  colonies;  of  the  restrictions  of  manufacture 
and  trading;  of  the  revenue  laws  and  taxation 
without  representation.  Note  the  influence  of 
such  men  as  Burke,  Pitt,  and  others. 

Take  up  the  patriots  in  America:  Benjamin 
Franklin,  Patrick  Henry,  Lee  of  Virginia,  John 
Hancock,  John  Adams,  Samuel  Adams,  among 
others.  Show  pictures  of  the  Old  South  Meeting 
House  and  Faneuil  Hall  of  Boston;  read  Paul 
Revere's  Ride,  and  a  description  of  the  battles 
of  Lexington,  Concord,  and  Bunker  Hill.  Note 
the  establishment  of  a  Continental  congress  and 


AND    PROGRAMS  47 

army,  and  speak  of  the  fitness  of  George  Washing- 
ton as  the  leader  of  the  American  forces. 

Read  the  Declaration  of  Independence;  follow 
with  the  struggle  for  the  control  of  the  Hudson, 
which  occupied  the  whole  of  the  first  year  of  the 
war  and  more,  and  includes  the  battles  about 
New  York,  with  their  retreats  and  victories;  then 
study  the  invasion  of  Canada,  the  attempt  on  the 
South,  the  British  plan  of  three  Northern  armies 
simultaneously;  the  use  of  Indian  allies;  the  sur- 
render of  Burgoyne;  the  movements  of  the  fleets; 
the  treason  of  Arnold;  the  surrender  of  Cornwallis. 

Other  topics  for  papers  or  talks  may  be:  Valley 
Forge;  Andre  and  Hale;  the  recent  discovery  of 
the  treachery  of  Charles  Lee;  the  story  of  Paul 
Jones;  the  aid  of  the  French  under  Lafayette; 
the  character  of  the  great  generals  on  both  sides; 
how  the  news  of  the  final  success  of  America  was 
received  in  England.  Read  The  American  Revo- 
lution, by  Lecky,  and  H.  C.  Lodge's  Story  of  the 
Revolution;  also,  The  Tory  Lover,  by  Jewett 
(about  Paul  Jones),  and  Ford's  Janice  Meredith. 

V  —  THE   CRITICAL   PERIOD 

of  our  history  naturally  succeeds  the  Revolution, 
when  our  Government  was  in  the  making.    Read 


48         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

of  the  leaders  of  the  time:  Washington,  Jefferson, 
Marshall,  Madison,  Jay,  and  Alexander  Hamilton. 
Have  parts  of  the  Constitution  read,  and  study 
the  different  aspects  of  our  Government:  the 
way  we  choose  our  President;  the  houses  of 
Congress  and  the  Senate;  our  judiciary.  Read  the 
story  of  Washington's  inauguration. 

Additional  topics  are:  Shay's  rebellion;  paper 
money;  the  Northwest  Territory;  and  th^  home 
life  of  the  times.  Take  up  the  early  presidents  in 
order,  with  the  events  of  each  term.  The  tariff, 
the  war  with  the  Barbary  pirates,  the  rise  of  news- 
papers, the  Louisiana  Territory,  and  the  decrees 
of  France  and  England  about  neutral  ships  are 
all  important. 

VI  —  THE   WAR   OF   1812 

Read  of  the  Embargo  Act  and  the  refusal 
of  England  to  repeal  her  decree;  also  of  the  acts 
of  Napoleon  at  the  time.  The  battles  of  the  war 
that  followed  were  nearly  all  at  sea,  and  are  full 
of  exciting  interest,  from  the  victory  of  the  Con- 
stitution,  after  only  half  an  hour's  fighting,  to 
the  very  end;  one  of  the  most  famous  is  the  Battle 
of  Lake  Erie,  when  Perry  sent  the  historic  message, 
*'  I  have  met  the  enemy,  and  they  are  ours.'* 


AND    PROGRAMS  49 

Read  of  the  invasion  of  Canada  and  the  Battle  of 
New  Orleans,  and  close  the  study  with  the  Treaty 
of  1814.  A  story  called  Midshipman  Paulding, 
by  Molly  Elliot  Seawell,  gives  a  good  sketch  of 
the  time,  and  Roosevelt's  Naval  War  of  1812  is 
excellent  for  reference. 

VII  —  EXPANSION  AND   IMPROVEMENTS 

From  this  point  on  for  several  decades,  the 
country  slowly  increased  her  territory,  her  man- 
ufactures, her  school  system,  her  trade  at  home 
and  abroad.  Steam  was  introduced  on  boats  and 
railways,  and  wealth  and  comforts  grew.  Florida 
was  bought  for  five  millions,  the  Monroe  Doctrine 
exploited,  and  several  States  added  to  the  Union. 
Slavery  gradually  increased  in  the  South,  and 
the  cotton-gin  was  introduced  in  the  North  to 
weave  the  raw  product  there.  The  Missouri  Com- 
promise was  one  of  the  great  national  issues  of  the 
day,  and  Henry  Clay,  Daniel  Webster,  and  John 
C.  Calhoun  were  the  leaders  in  politics.  There 
was  a  great  commercial  panic  which  led  to  the 
settling  of  our  banking  laws;  the  first  telegraphic 
message  was  sent;  Mormonism  was  first  heard  of, 
and  became  important. 

The  war  with  Mexico,  which  began  in   1848, 


50         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

gave  us  a  great  additional  territory.  Abolition 
sentiment  rose.  The  period  closed  with  the  dis- 
covery of  gold  in  California.  Read  Bret  Harte's 
books,  Theodore  Winthrop's  John  Brent,  for  a 
study  of  Mormonism,  and  Parkman's  Oregon 
Trail. 

VIII  —  THE   CIVIL   WAR 

The  various  difficulties  which  led  to  the  great 
conflict  should  be  studied  in  detail  in  a  good  history 
of  the  times.  Among  others  were:  The  Fugitive 
Slave  Law,  the  Underground  Railway,  Mrs. 
Stowe's  Uncle  Tom's  Cabin,  the  debates  of 
Lincoln  and  Douglas,  the  Dred  Scott  decision, 
and  the  story  of  John  Brown's  raid. 

It  will  be  necessary  to  have  a  good  reference- 
book  with  maps  of  the  campaigns.  Perhaps  the 
best  book  is  Battles  and  Leaders  of  the  Civil 
War,  written  by  the  great  generals,  published 
by  The  Century  Company.  Divide  the  war 
into  the  four  years  of  its  continuance,  following 
this  condensed  outline: 

1861  —  Attack  on  Fort  Sumter;  call  for  troops 
by  Lincoln;  Battle  of  Bull  Run;  The  Trent 
Affair. 

1862  —  The    Merrimac    and    Monitor;     Battle 


AND    PROGRAMS  51 

of  Shiloh;  Farragut  and  the  Battle  of  New  Or- 
leans; Seven  Days'  Battles  before  Richmond; 
Second  Battle  of  Bull  Run;  Antietam;  Freder- 
icksburg. 

1863  —  January  first,  the  Emancipation  Proc- 
lamation; Chancellorsville;  Gettysburg;  sur- 
render of  Vicksburg;  Chickamauga;  Chatta- 
nooga. 

1864  —  Grant's  advance  on  Lee;  Battle  of 
the  Wilderness;  Sherman's  Atlanta  campaign; 
siege  of  Petersburg;  the  Alabama  sunk  by  the 
Kearsarge;  Battle  of  Mobile  Bay ;  fall  of  Atlanta ; 
Sheridan  in  the  Shenandoah;  Sherman's  March 
to  the  Sea;   Battle  of  Nashville. 

1865  —  Battle  of  Five  Forks;  Richmond  evac- 
uated; surrender  of  Lee;  Lincoln  assassinated; 
surrender  of  Johnston;  capture  of  Jefferson  Davis; 
review  of  Northern  army  in  Washington. 

Take  up  the  condition  of  the  South  immediately 
after  the  war.  Have  papers  on  the  purchase  of 
Alaska,  our  increase  in  population,  the  crossing 
of  the  continent  by  the  railway,  and  the  war  with 
the  Indians  in  which  Custer  was  killed.  Mention 
the  administrations  as  before,  and  close  the  period 
with  the  war  with  Spain,  and  describe  our  new 
possessions. 


52         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

IX  —  PRESENT-DAY      CONDITIONS     AND      PROBLEMS 

The  various  subjects  to  be  studied  under  this 
topic  stand  out  conspicuously:  our  material 
wealth;  our  cities;  our  manufactures;  our  coal- 
fields, forests,  watercourses,  and  other  resources; 
our  public  schools  and  universities;  our  vocational 
schools  and  schools  for  the  defective;  the  educa- 
tion of  the  negro,  the  Indian,  the  mountain 
white;  our  railway  systems;  telegraph,  telephone, 
and  wireless  communication;  our  scientific  dis- 
coveries; conservation;  our  art  galleries,  mu- 
seums, theaters,  orchestras.  Close  with  discussions 
of  our  chief  national  problems:  immigration, 
labor,  and  woman  suffrage. 

This  period  should  have  one  program  on  the 
physical  character  of  our  country;  its  great  natu- 
ral beauties  in  the  Yosemite,  the  Sierras,  the 
Yellowstone,  and  the  Grand  Canyon  in  the 
West;  the  mountains  of  the  East  and  South; 
Niagara,  the  Hudson,  the  Mississippi,  and  our 
seacoast. 

X  —  AMERICAN   LITERATURE   AND   ART 

Our  literature  sometimes  seems  to  be  of  small 
consequence  as  compared  with  that  of  older  coun- 


AND    PROGRAMS  53 

tries,  but  as  a  nation  we  have  been  occupied 
with  estabhshing  ourselves  in  our  territory,  and 
have  had  httle  time  to  give  to  what  may  be  called 
the  adornments  of  life. 

In  our  Colonial  Period  we  had  a  few  outstanding 
historical  books  like  Bradford's  History  of  the 
Plymouth  Plantation,  —  Judge  Samuel  Se wall's 
Diary,  and  Cotton  Mather's  Magnalia.  Then, 
also,  we  had  Jonathan  Edwards'  great  philosophi- 
cal work  on  The  Freedom  of  the  Will. 

In  Revolutionary  days  Benjamin  Franklin 
wrote  his  autobiography,  Thomas  Paine  his 
essays,  John  Woolman  his  Journal,  and  the  first 
American  novelist  appeared,  Charles  Brockden 
Brown. 

Our  literature  really  began  with  the  New- 
Yorkers,  Irving,  Cooper,  and  Bryant.  Then  came 
the  New  England  group,  Emerson,  Thoreau,  Haw- 
thorne, Longfellow,  Whittier,  Lowell,  Holmes,  and 
the  historians,  Prescott,  Motley,  and  Parkman,  to 
which  list  the  name  of  Harriet  Beecher  Stowe 
should  be  added.  In  the  South  we  had  Edgar 
Allan  Poe,  Simms,  Lanier,  and  later  Cable  and 
Page.  The  Western  country  has  given  us  Bret 
Harte,  Mark  Twain,  and  Riley.  Realism  has  its 
representatives  in  fiction  in  Howells,  James,  and 


54         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Mary  Wilkins  Freeman,  and  in  poetry  in  Walt 
Whitman. 

To-day  we  have  nature  writers,  including  John 
Burroughs  and  Stewart  Edward  White.  We  have 
such  essayists  as  William  Winter,  Henry  Van 
Dyke,  Agnes  Repplier,  and  Samuel  Crothers. 
We  have  the  poets  John  Vance  Cheney,  James 
Whitcomb  Riley,  Madison  Cawein,  Anna  Branch 
and  Josephine  Preston  Peabody.  We  have  the 
historical  writers  McMaster,  James  Schouler, 
James  Ford  Rhodes,  Woodrow  Wilson,  Theodore 
Roosevelt,  and  Henry  Cabot  Lodge.  And  among 
the  novelists  may  be  mentioned  Winston  Churchill, 
Margaret  Deland,  Robert  Grant,  S.  Weir  Mit- 
chell, Edith  Wharton,  Kate  Douglas  Wiggin, 
Ellen  Glasgow,  F.  Hopkinson  Smith,  Hamlin  Gar- 
land, Robert  Herrick,  Jack  London,  and  Booth 
Tarkington. 

In  early  days  our  painters  were  Gilbert  Stuart, 
Copley,  and  Benjamin  West;  in  later  years, 
Inness,  Whistler,  La  Farge,  Abbey,  and  Sargent. 
Our  sculptors  have  been  Powers,  Crawford, 
Saint-Gaudens,  French,  Borglura,  MacMonnies, 
and  Potter. 

In  music  we  have  had  MacDowell,  Chadwick, 
Nevin,    and    Parker;     in    architecture,    Upjohn, 


AND    PROGRAMS  55 

Richardson,    Stanford    White,    the    Hunts,    and 
Carrere. 

For    a   general    survey    of    our    country,    read 
Bryce's  American   Commonwealth. 


56        WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 


CHAPTER  IV 

The  Home 
i  —  the  dwelling  -  house 

1.  The  House  Desirable  —  Where  to  live;  city 
or  country;  the  most  economical  kind  of  house; 
necessities  and  luxuries. 

2.  The  House  Comfortable  —  Heat,  water,  ven- 
tilation, sunshine. 

3.  The  House  Beautiful  —  The  exterior,  type  of 
house,  harmony  with  surroundings,  color;  lawns, 
gardens,  trees  and  shrubbery;  the  vegetable  garden 
and  the  drying-ground;  out-buildings. 

4.  General  Discussion  —  Living  where  we  do, 
how  can  we  improve  our  houses  and  their  sur- 
roundings? 

Books  to  Consult — Isabel  Bevicr:  The  House: 
Its  Plan,  Decoration  and  Care.  W.  M.  Johnson: 
Inside  of  One  Hundred  Homes.  S.  Parsons,  Jr.: 
How  to  Plan  the  Home  Grounds.  L.  C.  Corbett: 
Beautifying  the  Home  Grounds.  (U.  S.  Dept.  of 
Agriculture,  Farmers'  Bulletin  105.     1904.) 


AND    PROGRAMS  57 

Discuss  the  transformation  of  old  bouses;  the 
modernization  of  the  farmhouse,  with  porches 
added,  the  parlor  opened,  the  bedrooms  made 
attractive,  and  heat  and  a  water-supply  provided. 
The  village  home;  its  limitations  and  possibilities; 
the  advantage  of  simple  lines  rather  than  cheap 
and  ugly  scrollwork  and  ornate  verandas.  The 
city  home;  the  basement  dining-room  and  kitchen. 
The  modern  flat;  its  advantages  and  incon- 
veniences. Modem  building-materials,  concrete, 
shingles,  cobblestones;  the  use  of  stains.  In 
preparation  for  this  meeting,  ask  each  member 
to  bring  in  a  sketch  of  the  ground-plan  of  what 
represents  to  her  an  ideal  dwelling-house. 

II FURNISHING    THE   HOUSE 

1.  Intelligent  Furnishing  —  Consistency  of  style 
throughout.  The  value  of  various  styles.  How 
to  combine  the  old  with  the  new.  Costly 
ugliness. 

2.  The  Study  of  Special  Needs  —  Rooms  of  the 
family  as  a  whole:  the  dining-room,  the  library, 
living-rooms.  The  guest-room.  The  boys'  bed- 
rooms and  den.  The  room  for  the  grown  daugh- 
ter.    Nursery  and  playroom. 

3.  Household  Conveniences  —  The  kitchen  as  a 


58         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

workshop.  (The  equipment  for  cooking:  gas, 
oil,  coal,  electricity.)  New  kinds  of  utensils 
(bread  and  cake  mixers,  fireless  cookers,  etc.). 
The  attractive  kitchen. 

4.  Art  in  the  Home  —  Wall  decoration  (study 
of  colors).  Floor  coverings  (carpets,  rugs,  use  of 
hard  woods).  Draperies,  pictures  (choice  of 
subjects,  artistic  grouping  and  hanging  of  pictures). 
Bric-a-brac  (selection  and  artistic  arrangement). 
The  beauty  of  simplicity  m  the  home. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Lillie  Hamilton  French: 
Homes  and  Their  Decoration.  Same  author:  The 
Home  Dignified.  Mitchell:  The  Fireless  Cookery 
Book.  Reading  list  on  home  decoration  and  fur- 
nishing: N.  Y.  State  Library  Bulletin.  Bibliog. 
Vol.  1,  No.  20.    Albany  1899. 

Discuss  the  charm  of  the  colonial  style  of 
furnishing;  illustrate  by  cuts  in  the  catalogues 
of  large  funiiture-makers  and  dealers  of  four- 
post  beds,  Chippendale  chairs  and  tables,  Shera- 
ton desks,  etc.  Take  up  the  value  of  cretonnes  in 
bedrooms  and  living-rooms.  Have  a  practical 
talk  on  making  over  old  things,  dyeing  carpets, 
simplifying  the  outlines  of  cheaply  made  furni- 
ture and  staining  it.  Close  with  an  informal  dis- 
cussion on  The  Kitchen  Comfortable. 


AND    PROGRAMS  59 

III  —  DOMESTIC   ECONOMY 

1.  The  Housekeeper  —  Her  training  for  her 
profession.  Schools  of  domestic  economy.  Lec- 
tures. Books  and  magazines.  Practical  ex- 
perience.   The  training  of  our  daughters. 

2.  The  Table  —  The  family  income  and  cost 
of  food.  Economy  and  waste.  Entertaining. 
An  attractive  table  for  those  of  small  means. 

3.  Individual  Needs  —  Food  for  the  growing 
child;  for  the  invalid;  for  the  dyspeptic.  The 
diet  of  the  laboring  man  and  of  the  professional 
man.     School  luncheons. 

4.  The  Weekly  Program  —  The  old  housekeep- 
ing and  the  new.  The  problem  of  the  laundry. 
The  household  mending.  Sweeping  and  dusting. 
Baking  and  cleaning.  The  mistress'  personal 
supervision. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Ravenhill  and  Schiff: 
Household  Administration.  Herrick:  House- 
keeping Made  Easy.  Campbell:  Household  Ec- 
onomics.   Benton:   Living  on  a  Little, 

The  abundance  of  material  for  this  meeting 
will  make  discussion  easy.  Take  up  as  additional 
topics:  How  shall  we  have  an  abundant  table 
under  present  conditions?   Is  vegetarianism  wise.f^ 


60         WOMAN'S    CLUB   WORK 

Can  entertaining  be  done  economically?  Does  it 
pay  to  spend  time  on  the  esthetic  side  of  cooking 
and  serving?  Are  weekly  menus  a  help?  Close 
with  a  paper  or  talk  on  the  Importance  of  Sim- 
plicity in  All  Branches  of  Housekeeping. 

IV  —  SERVANTS 

1.  The  Problem  as  a  Whole  —  Reasons  for  the 
change  in  the  present  situation  as  compared  with 
the  past:  shop  and  factory  labor,  education, 
social    advancement. 

2.  The  Problem  as  Seen  by  the  Mistress  — The 
rise  in  the  scale  of  wages.  Increased  demand  for 
short  hours.  Constant  desire  of  servants  to 
change.     Independence  of  spirit. 

3.  The  Problem  as  seen  by  the  Maid  —  Her 
comfort;  the  sleeping  and  sitting  rooms.  Her 
leisure;  afternoons  and  evenings  out.  Her  so- 
ciety; callers.  Her  wages.  Growing  tendency 
to  specialization  of  work.     Uniforms  and  caps. 

4.  Possible  Solutions  —  The  American  girl,  the 
foreigner,  the  negro,  and  the  Japanese  as  serv- 
ants. The  working  housekeeper.  The  visiting 
servant.  The  eight-hour  day.  Cooperative  house- 
keeping.   The  servantless  apartment. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Salmon:  Domestic  Serv- 


AND    PROGRAMS  61 

ice.  Terrill:  Household  Management.  Addams: 
Democracy  and  Social  Ethics.  Herrick:  The  Ex- 
pert Maid  Servant. 

For  this  meeting  the  chairman  can  arrange  in 
advance  for  the  brief  presentation  of  personal 
experiences,  each  limited  to  three  minutes. 

Other  interesting  and  valuable  topics  might  be: 
The  Relations  between  Employers  and  Employed ; 
Employment  Offices  and  Their  Regulation;  The 
Ethics  of  References;  Advertising  and  Answering 
Advertisements  for  Servants;  What  Shall  We  do 
for  Sick  and  Elderly  Servants.? 

V  —  FINANCING     THE     HOME 

1.  The  Income  —  The  husband's  share.  The 
wife's  share.  The  children's  share.  Special 
expenditures:  the  doctor  and  the  dentist,  church, 
benevolences,  etc.  Discussion  of  the  proper 
division  of  the  income. 

2.  Family  Expenses  —  Renting  or  owning  a 
home.  The  cost  of  living:  food,  fuel,  service,  etc. 
Dressing  the  family.  Education:  private  or  pub- 
lic schools. 

3.  Necessities  and  Luxuries  —  The  comfort- 
able home.  The  place  of  recreation.  Books, 
music,  and  travel.    The  college  education.    The 


62         WOIMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

use  and  the  abuse  of  luxury;  the  automobile, 
the  theater,  dress. 

4.  Savings  —  Proportion  of  savings  to  expend- 
itures. Ways  and  means  of  saving.  The  savings- 
bank,  life  insurance,  investments. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Haskins:  How  to  Keep 
Household  Accounts.  Curtis:  The  Making  of  the 
Housewife.  Babcock:  Household  Hints.  Hewitt: 
How  to  live  on  a  Small  Income. 

A  discussion  can  be  planned  for  this  meeting 
on  the  comparison  of  men  and  women  as  econ- 
omists. A  brief  talk  may  be  given  on  The  Change 
in  the  Scale  of  Living  To-day,  and  another  on 
Is  a  Return  to  the  Simple  Life  Possible?  The 
training  of  children  in  the  use  of  money  should 
also  be  taken  up,  and  the  meeting  can  close  with 
a  consideration  of  the  question.  Is  a  College  Educa- 
tion a  Necessity  or  a  Luxury? 

VI  —  SOCIAL   LIFE 

1.  The  Home  Circle  —  Planning  the  home  life. 
Delightful  meal-hours.  Evening  amusements: 
music,  games,  reading  aloud.    The  happy  Sunday. 

2.  Neighbors  —  Who  is  my  neighbor?  The 
spirit  of  neighborliness.  The  ethics  of  borrow- 
ing.    Helpfulness  in  the  community. 


AND    PROGRAMS  63 

3.  Hospitality  —  The  fair  exchange.  Social 
life  for  all  ages.  The  open  house  and  the  small 
income.     Simple  entertaining. 

4.  Social  Organizations  —  The  grange,  the  lodge, 
the  club.  Church  societies:  men's  leagues,  women's 
aid  societies,  boys'  brigades,  guilds  for  girls.  The 
woman's  club:  intensive  and  extensive  work. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Gilman :  The  Home, 
Its  Work  and  Influence.  Modern  Home  Life: 
edited  by  Edward  Everett  Hale.  Hall :  Handbook 
of  Hospitality.  Abbott:  The  Home  Builder. 
Holt:   The  Successful  Hostess. 

Emphasize  in  these  papers  the  beauty  and 
charm  of  a  simple,  free  hospitality  as  distinguished 
from  formal  and  costly  entertaining.  The  wel- 
coming of  a  child's  playmates  after  school  should 
be  considered,  the  opening  of  the  doors  to  the 
young  people  of  the  neighborhood,  the  planning 
of  afternoon  parties  for  elderly  women,  the  bring- 
ing together  of  congenial  groups  of  people,  the 
drawing  in  of  strangers,  and  the  spirit  of  cordial- 
ity in  church  life. 

VII  RECREATION    IN    THE   HOME 

1 .  For  the  Children  —  Simple  amusements : 
candy-making,     hide-and-seek,     and    other    old- 


64         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

fashioned  games.     Value  of  an  attic.    Tenting  in 
the  back  yard.     Gardening.     Children's  parties. 

2.  For  the  Young  People  —  Small  group  games: 
checkers,  card-games,  chess,  etc.  Games  of 
mental  skill:  twenty  ciuestions,  guessing  con- 
tests, writing  of  topical  poems  and  jingles.  The 
billiard-room  in  '  the  house.  Social  advantages 
of  the  chafing-dish.     Young  people's  dances. 

3.  For  Adults  — -  Reading  aloud.  Home  car- 
pentry. Entertaining:  cards,  music,  dinners, 
etc. 

4.  For  Everybody  —  Charades.  Tableaux. 
Plays.  The  home  orchestra.  College  songs. 
Discussion:  What  are  the  best  books  for  family 
reading  aloud? 

Books  to  Consult  —  Mrs.  Hamilton  Mott: 
Home  Games  and  Parties.  Bancroft:  Games  for 
the  Playground,  Home,  School,  and  Gymnasium. 
Benson:  Book  of  Indoor  Games  for  Young 
People  of  All  Ages.  Hoyle's  Games  (many  edi- 
tions). 

The  great  point  to  be  emphasized  in  this  meeting 
is  that  parents  should  deliberately  make  a  place 
in  the  home  life  for  amusements,  from  child- 
hood up.  Discuss:  In  how  many  ways  can 
parents  and  children  share  their  pleasures,  and 


AND    PROGRAMS  65 

how   may   the   spirit    of    mutual   enjoyment   be 
fostered? 

VIII  —  VACATIONS 

1.  Travel  —  Should  we  see  our  own  country 
before  going  abroad?  Preparations  for  travel. 
Advantage  of  reading  in  advance  about  places  to 
be  visited.  How  to  travel  with  children.  Travel 
as  an  education. 

2.  In  the  Country  —  On  the  farm.  In  the 
camp.  Among  the  mountains.  By  the  sea.  Com- 
parison of  experiences  by  members  of  the  club. 

3.  Vacation  and  Study  —  Is  it  a  good  plan  to 
combine  the  two?  Summer  schools.  Chautau- 
quas  so  called.  Conventions  (religious,  sociologi- 
cal, scientific,  musical,  pedagogical,  etc.). 

4.  Vacations  at  Home  —  The  opportunity  of 
a  delightful  summer.  The  possibilities  of  the  yard : 
tents,  out-of-door  meals,  the  arbor,  the  garden, 
etc.  City  roof-gardens  for  families.  Trolley- 
rides.    Trips  and  picnics. 

Books  to  Consult  —  M.  L.  Pool :  Vacation 
in  a  Buggy.  F.  H.  Winterburn:  Vacation  Hints. 
Talfourd:  Vacation  Rambles  and  Thoughts  (1845). 

Discuss  these  questions:  What  proportion 
of  one's  income  is  properly  spent  in  a  vacation? 


66         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

What  is  the  influence  of  life  in  a  summer  hotel 
on  parents  and  children?  Is  the  rest  from  house- 
keeping and  the  change  of  life  compensation  for 
the  drawbacks  there?  Is  the  enlarging  or  the 
social  circle  of  one's  grown  children  a  duty?  Sav- 
ing versus  travel. 

IX  —  CHILDREN   IN   THE   HOME 

1.  The  Children's  Rooms  —  The  nursery  and 
its  furnishings.  Rooms  for  the  older  children: 
seclusion,  comfort,  individuality.  The  playroom 
and   the   workshop. 

2.  Children  and  Parents  —  The  ideal  relation- 
ship: parents  as  friends.  When  should  discipline 
end  and  personal  freedom  begin?  Children  at 
table.  The  bedtime  hour  and  how  to  make 
the  most  of  it.  The  blessing  of  grandparents  in 
the  home. 

3.  Brothers  and  Sisters  —  Mutual  interests : 
work  and  play  together.  Cultivation  and  main- 
tenance of  the  ideal  of  friendship  between  brothers 
and  sisters.  The  spirit  of  chivalry  and  the  spirit 
of  service. 

4.  Children  and  Servants  —  Overfamiliarity  ver- 
sus dignity  in  the  relation.  Respect  for  a  servant's 
rights  and  belongings. 


AND    PROGRAMS  67 

5.  The  Children's  Playtime  —  Team-work  in 
the  home.  The  family  group:  mutual  interest 
of  parents  and  children.  Hospitality  and  enter- 
taining for  children. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Ellen  Key:  The  Cen- 
tury of  the  Child.  E.  S.  Martin:  The  Luxury  of 
Children.  Gertrude  Jekyll:  Children  and  Gardens. 
S.  D.  and  M.  K.  Gordon:  Quiet  Talks  on  Home 
Ideals. 

One  of  the  most  delightful  ways  of  making  home 
interesting  is  to  encourage  the  children  to  give 
little  plays,  illustrated  poems  and  shadow  pictures. 
Miss  Alcott  in  Little  Women  gives  the  outline 
of  one  play  which  may  be  prepared  easily,  and 
there  are  others  to  be  had. 

X THE  FAMILY  AND  TRAINING  FOR  LIFE 

1.  Training  in  Work  —  The  spirit  of  industry. 
Faithfulness  to  tasks.  Making  domestic  duties 
interesting.    Study  of  domestic  economy  for  girls. 

2.  Training  in  Culture  —  Books,  music,  and 
pictures.  Education  in  taste.  Table-talk  about 
things  worth  while.      Outlook  on  the  world's  life. 

3.  Training  in  Character  —  The  fundamental 
virtues:  truth,  honesty,  fortitude,  unselfishness. 
Teaching  by  reading,  by  counsel,  and  by  example. 


68         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

4.  Training  in  Citizenship  and  Social  Useful- 
ness —  Discussing  politics.  The  father's  poHtics 
and  the  boy's.  Active  philanthropy.  Committee 
meetings  in  the  home,  and  their  effect  on  the 
children. 

5.  Training  in  Idealism  —  The  steady  ideal. 
Heroes  and  hero-worship.  Stories  of  bravery 
and  unselfishness  in  the  daily  press.  What  sort 
of  politician  shall  boys  be  taught  to  admire? 
Lives  of  devotion  in  science,  medicine,  social  serv- 
ice, and  missions.  Discuss  the  question:  Are 
our  children  being  really  prepared  for  a  broad  and 
useful  life-work? 

Books  to  Consult  —  Lyman  Abbott:  The 
Home  Builder.  Newell  D wight  Hillis:  The  Home 
School.  Theodore  T,  Munger:  On  the  Thresh- 
old.    Kate  Upson  Clark:    Bringing  up  Boys. 

A  talk  may  follow  the  fifth  paper  of  this  meet- 
ing, taking  up  the  subject:  How  best  to  utilize 
the  home  as  a  training  school,  and  yet  to  keep  it 
cheerful. 


AND    PROGRAMS  69 


CHAPTER  V 

Myths  and  Folk -Lore 
i  introductory 

The  first  meeting  should  be  given  up  to  a 
broad  presentation  of  the  whole  subject  of  folk- 
lore, myths,  legends,  fairy  stories,  festivals  and 
superstitions.  One  paper  should  present  the 
universality  of  myths,  the  curious  resemblances 
found  among  them  in  races  far  apart  in  time  and 
place.  A  second  paper  may  give  the  ways  in 
which  they  have  been  preserved  to  us.  The 
Egyptians  as  early  as  2800  b.  c.  used  the  stories 
on  monuments  and  in  manuscripts.  Herodotus 
and  Livy  speak  of  folk-tales;  yEsop's  Fables 
embody  many  of  them.  In  the  Middle  Ages  story 
and  song  preserved  them;  and  later  they  were 
collected.  Walter  Scott  was  especially  apprecia- 
tive of  their  value;  he  called  them  "  antiquities," 
and  tried  to  interest  people  in  them  in  several  of 
his  books. 

A  third  paper  should  deal  with  the  important 


70         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

theories  held  by  scholars  as  to  the  origin  of  myths. 
The  Grimm  brothers  in  Germany,  and  later 
Max  Miiller,  held  that  the  similarity  of  myths 
proved  the  common  stock  and  language  of  all 
races;  as  divisions  came  the  myths  passed  on 
from  one  country  and  race  to  many.  Andrew 
Lang,  however,  has  more  recently  developed  a 
second  theory,  one  held  to-day  by  most  scientists, 
that  as  all  primitive  people  observe  the_  same 
phenomena  of  nature,  they  invent  much  the  same 
myths  to  explain  them,  as  all  pass  through  the 
same  stages  of  culture. 

Another  paper  might  notice  the  growth  in  the 
spread  of  the  study  of  myths  and  legends.  Since 
Thorns  in  1846  coined  the  phrase  "  follc-lore," 
societies  have  been  formed  in  every  civilized 
land  to  preserve  the  old  stories,  songs  and  tra- 
ditions, and  to  study  them  scientifically.  Immense 
value  is  placed  to-day  on  their  importance  as 
throwing  light  on  history,  literature,  religion,  and 
language.  One  writer  says  that  a  full  knowl- 
edge of  the  folk-lore  of  every  nation  would  be 
synonymous  with  the  history  of  human  thought. 
On  the  general  subject  read  G.  L.  Gomme's 
Folk-Lore  as  an  Historical  Science,  Andrew  Lang's 
Modern  Mythology,  and  the  valuable  articles  in 


AND    PROGRAMS  71 

the  encyclopedias.  For  readings  from  the  stories 
of  all  nations,  see  a  set  of  small  handbooks  pub- 
lished by  Lippincott,  called  Folk-Lore  and  Legend. 

II  —  THE   OLDEST   MYTHS,    THE   HINDU 

In  the  earliest  Western  race,  the  Aryan,  we 
find  the  simplest  myths  of  creation  and  changing 
nature.  They  first  invented  the  Sun  God,  riding 
in  his  fiery  chariot,  his  glowing  locks  spreading 
out  through  the  sky.  The  demons  of  darkness 
revolt  against  him,  and  must  be  overcome.  The 
Rain  God  darkens  the  heavens,  and  the  Dawn 
Maiden  brings  the  light.  From  these  first  simple 
ideas  grew  a  large  mythology,  full  of  beauty,  and 
of  the  local  color  which  we  see  in  all  national 
myths;  these  are  warm  and  glowing.  Read  the 
translations  of  some  of  the  stories  and  hymns.  See 
Mrs.  Poor's  Sanskrit  and  Kindred  Literatures,  or 
Warner's  Library  of  Universal  Literature. 

Ill  —  GREEK   IVIYTHS   AND   LEGENDS 

The  mythology  of  the  Greeks  is  the  most  beau- 
tiful, the  most  artistic,  and  the  most  perfectly  de- 
veloped of  any  that  we  have,  and  it  repays  care- 
ful study.  The  early  myths  are  much  like  the 
Aryan;   indeed  some  of  the  stories  are  practically 


72         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

identical.  The  sun  and  moon,  darkness,  storm, 
spring  and  summer,  the  ocean  and  the  sky  were 
all  personified.  Phoebus  Apollo  in  his  chariot  is 
the  sun;  Eros  and  Psyche  are  the  coming  and 
going  of  light  and  darkness;  Demeter,  the  harvest, 
has  a  daughter  Persephone  who  goes  down  to  the 
underworld  as  seed,  dies,  and  is  revived  as  spring 
brings  back  life.  Notice  how  from  such  first, 
simple  ideas  a  whole  complicated  religious  system 
developed,  and  how  the  original  gods  and  goddesses 
became  so  many  that  earth,  air,  water,  sky,  and 
all  nature  were  filled  with  them.  See  also  the 
gradual  decadence  of  the  system,  especially 
when  the  Romans  adopted  it.  Compare  the  myths 
of  light  and  darkness  with  those  of  other  lands. 
Read  from  Stories  of  Old  Greece,  by  Emma  R. 
Frith,  and  H.  M.  Chadwick's  The  Heroic  Age. 

IV  —  SCANDINAVIAN   FOLK  -  LORE 

In  this  cold,  northern  land  the  same  original 
myths  developed  as  elsewhere  but  were  altered 
by  the  environment.  Here  the  legends  are  often 
terrible  instead  of  beautiful.  There  are  battles 
of  hail  and  snow,  great  ice  mountains  to  be  sur- 
mounted, gloomy  castles  to  be  won.  The  spirits 
of  storm,  of  thunder,  of  cold,  all  figure.    Animals, 


AND    PROGRAMS  73 

too,  are  conspicuous  in  the  stories,  especially 
bears,  wolves  and  eagles.  The  gods  were  stern 
and  awful,  rather  than  lovable.  But  in  spite  of 
this,  there  were  still  some,  like  the  goddess  of 
spring,  who  had  charm,  and  some  stories  which 
show  a  sense  of  humor.  Read  In  the  Days  of 
the  Giants,  a  Book  of  Norse  Tales,  by  Abbie 
Farwell  Brown.  Here  are  stories  from  the  Sagas 
and  the  Edda,  the  earliest  literature  of  the  North. 
See  How  Thor  Went  a-Fishing,  The  Lost  Bell, 
The  Three  Dogs,  and  The  Meal  of  Frothi. 

V  PERSIAN    FOLK  -  LORE 

The  Persian  and  Arabian  folk-lore  is  really  one, 
and  stands  quite  by  itself.  It  is  unusually  rich  in 
well  developed  stories,  many  well  worth  study. 
The  original  myths  of  light  and  darkness  were 
typified  under  the  names  of  Ormuzd  and  Ahriman. 
The  Zend-Avesta  embodied  their  religion  and  liter- 
ature, and  is  full  of  beauty.  Later,  however,  the 
early  and  simple  mythology  degenerated  into 
something  complicated  and  almost  puerile.  The 
legends,  preserved  for  us  in  The  Thousand  and 
One  Nights,  are  marked  by  Oriental  splendor. 
Often  the  setting  of  a  story  will  be  in  a  palace  with 
wonderful  gardens  and  fountains.     We  read  of 


74        WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

great  merchants,  gorgeous  silks,  jewels  and  orna- 
ments; of  money,  horses  and  camels;  of  sheiks, 
caliphs,  viziers,  magicians,  and  genii.  In  every 
respect  the  stories  differ  from  those  of  other  lands. 
Read  Aladdin  and  His  Wonderful  Lamp,  and 
Ali  Baba  and  the  Forty  Thieves,  from  Andrew 
Lang's  Blue  Fairy  Book. 

VI  —  CELTIC   FOLK  -  LORE 

The  peoples  of  Brittany,  Wales,  Scotland,  and 
Ireland  have  folk-tales  full  of  a  certain  mysticism. 
They  have  few  nature  myths,  such  as  belong  to 
earlier  races,  but  they  have  drawn  from  their 
own  imagination  stories  of  beauty  and  charm, 
which  are  distinctly  poetic,  both  in  substance  and 
form.  Their  legends  deal  largely  with  fairies, 
wishing-stones,  haunted  glens,  and  changelings. 
There  are  water  fairies,  some  with  human  souls, 
and  dwarfs  who  have  homes  in  caves,  and  live 
and  work  like  human  beings.  The  whole  of  their 
folk-tales  are  filled  with  these  little  creatures, 
benign  or  malicious,  who  are  closely  in  touch 
with  the  real  lives  about  them. 

The  superstitions  of  these  countries  in  regard 
to  the  reappearance  of  the  dead  as  ghosts  or 
spirits  of  one  kind  or  another,  also  enter  largely 


AND    PROGRAMS  75 

into  the  literature  of  the  Celtic  races.  This  sub- 
ject, a  very  large  one,  may  be  taken  up  here,  or 
later  by  itself. 

There  is  a  delightful  book  called  Fairy  and  Folk- 
Lore  of  the  Irish  Peasantry,  by  W.  B.  Yeats,  and 
another  on  the  Fairy  Legends  of  Ireland,  by  T.  C. 
Crocker.  Duncan  Anderson  has  one  on  Scottish 
Folk-Lore,  also.  Read  from  any  of  these,  and  also 
a  story  in  Little  Classics  called  The  Fairy  Finder, 
by  Samuel  Lover. 

VII  —  FOLK  -  LORE   OF   THE   SLAVS 

There  is  much  that  is  curious  about  the  folk- 
lore of  the  Russians  and  kindred  peoples.  They 
have  the  old,  original  nature  myths,  with  hero 
stories  added.  There  is  the  same  setting  as  in 
Scandinavian  mythology,  of  cold  and  storm. 
There  are  epics  in  tjiree  cycles  which  embody 
some  stories  almost  identical  with  those  of  the 
Greeks.  There  are,  however,  two  striking  differ- 
ences between  their  legends  and  those  of  other 
countries:  one  is,  that  sorcery,  witchcraft,  spells, 
exorcisms  and  incantations  abound;  the  other 
is  that  nearly  all  tales  have  folk-music  accompany- 
ing them.  Fairy  stories  are  abundant  and  charm- 
ing, and  much  like  those  of  Norway  and  Sweden. 


76         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Read  from  Myths  and  Fairy  Tales  of  Russia,  by 
Jeremiah  Curtin,  and  Russian  Folk  Tales  by  R. 
Nisbet  Bain. 

VIII  —  GERMAN   FOLK  -  LORE 

In  many  respects  the  folk-tales  of  Germany  are 
more  interesting  than  those  of  any  other  country. 
They  do  not  deal  with  the  great,  simple  myths, 
except  as  they  have  been  transformed  into  certain 
fairy  tales,  but  are  centered  largely  on  more  recent 
stories.  There  are  tales  of  the  Middle  Ages,  of 
knights,  besieged  castles,  huntsmen  and  hermits; 
there  are  Rhine  legends,  with  princesses  and 
giants;  there  are  mining  tales  of  dwarfs  and  gob- 
lins, and  stories  of  water  fairies  and  forest  elves. 
Notice  the  resemblance  to  the  stories  of  other 
lands  in  some  of  Grimm's  fairy  tales.  See  how 
closely  Peter  Klaus  is  like  our  own  story  of  Rip 
Van  Winkle.  Read  Stories  of  the  Rhine  Gold, 
by  Anna  A.  Chapin,  and  the  best  known  stories 
from  Grimm,  especially  Rumpelztiltskin,  Hansel 
and  Gretel  and  Snow  White  and  Rose  Red. 

IX  —  FOLK  -  LORE   OF   ENGLAND 

All  parts  of  England  are  rich  in  folk-tales,  fes- 
tival customs  and    legends,    and   various   shires 


AND    PROGRAMS  77 

have  preserved  in  book  form  those  which  are 
pecuHar  to  them.  In  rhymes  and  jingles,  nick- 
names, proverbs,  riddles  and  nursery  tales  we  find 
traces  of  very  early  tradition.  Frazer's  Golden 
Bough  speaks  of  May  Day  customs.  Maypole 
dances,  keeping  St.  John's  Eve  and  Midsummer 
Day,  as  survivals  of  religious  festivals  of  great  im- 
portance. The  hero  stories,  especially  those  of 
King  Arthur  and  his  knights,  are  unusually  well 
developed  and  beautiful.  English  fairies  are  most 
human  and  charming.  Shakespeare  is  rich  in 
allusion  to  them;  read  on  this  point  Shakespeare's 
Puck  and  His  Folk  Lore,  by  WiHiam  Bell,  and 
parts  of  Midsummer  Night's  Dream. 

In  Andrew  Lang's  Blue  Fairy  Book  all  the 
delightful  old  fairy  stories  are  preserved;  read 
Beauty  and  the  Beast,  Little  Red  Ridinghood, 
Cinderella,  and  Jack  the  Giant  Killer.  Notice 
how  several  of  these  stories  are  considered  by 
some  students  as  nature  myths. 

Read  Kipling's  Puck  o'  Pook's  Hill,  the  modern 
fairy  story,  and  contrast  with  those  of  older  date. 

X AMERICAN   FOLK  -  LORE 

The  negroes  of  the  South  have  a  complex  set  of 
stories  of  their  own,  some  with  the  mark  of  their 


78         WOjMAX'S    club    WORK 

savage  ancestors  on  them  —  as  is  shown  in  their 
fetishism,  voodoo,  magic  and  ghosts  —  and  others 
which  are  full  of  a  quaint  humor.  Most  of  the 
latter  are  in  the  form  of  animal  stories,  and  have 
been  gathered  together  by  Joel  Chandler  Harris. 
Read  from  Nights  with  Uncle  Remus,  and  see  how 
each  of  the  animals  mentioned  has  its  peculiar 
characteristic,  and  how  the  rabbit,  who  always 
represents  the  colored  man,  outwits  the-  white 
man  by  his  cunning.  Clubs  should  make  a 
point  of  reproducing  some  of  the  old  negro  folk 
songs. 

The  Indians  have  many  myths  and  legends, 
which  vary  in  different  tribes  and  localities.  The 
people  of  Alaska  have  legends  quite  unlike  those 
of  the  Mission  Indians  of  California  or  the  Zuiii 
tribes  of  New  Mexico.  In  the  north,  cold, 
devils,  fighting  and  struggles  with  animals  pre- 
dominate; in  the  south  there  is  more  of  the 
spirit  of  harvest,  of  festival  and  brightness. 

The  scenes  of  the  legends  in  general  are  laid  in 
wigwams  and  deal  with  feasts,  love-making,  and 
battles  with  enemies.  There  are  also  many  legends 
about  trees,  bees,  birds,  and  fish.  The  original 
myths  of  light  and  darkness,  flood,  and  other 
phenomena  also  recur.     Read  Indian  Story  and 


AND    PROGRAMS  79 

Song,  by  Alice  C.  Fletcher,  and  F.  H.  Cushing's 
Zuni  Folk  Tales. 

FOLK-LORE   IN   OTHER   LANDS 

In  addition  to  the  topics  suggested,  clubs  should 
study  more  briefly  than  these  the  tales  of  other 
lands.  Japan  has  a  delightful  set  of  tales,  turning 
largely  on  animals,  flowers  and  spirits.  Read 
Ancient  Tales  and  Folk-Lore  of  Japan,  by  R.  G. 
Smith.  Follow  with  the  legends  of  China  and 
Corea,  both  collected,  full  of  originality  and 
interest,  with  heroes  and  nature  myths.  Hawaii 
has  much  local  color  in  her  folk-tales,  for  volcanic 
fire  often  appears.  See  Hawaiian  Folk-Lore  by 
T.  G.  Thrum. 

The  myths  of  Egypt  have  recently  been  col- 
lected and  are  quite  unlike  those  of  other  lands. 
They  are  divided  into  three  groups,  one  dealing 
with  the  earliest  times  when  simple  nature  myths 
occur;  the  second,  when  Egypt  developed,  and 
stories  of  town  and  country  appear;  in  the  third 
the  stories  deal  with  strangers,  ships  and  sailors. 
Crocodiles  play  an  important  part,  and  the  at- 
mosphere of  heat  is  always  noticeable. 

In  modern  Europe  the  stories  of  Spain  and  Italy 
and  also  of  Roumania  are  to  be  studied,  the  latter 


80         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

in  the  collections  made  by  Carmen  Sylva,  the 
queen.  Add  to  these  the  subject  of  gipsy  lore, 
from  the  book  called  Gipsy  Folk-Tales,  by  F.  H. 
Groome. 

The  subject  of  superstitions  may  follow  the 
topics  suggested,  and  ghosts,  reappearances  of  all 
kinds,  and  haunted  houses  will  prove  a  wide 
field. 

Hero  stories  in  all  lands  is  also  a  delightful 
division  of  the  general  subject.  The  legends  of 
Havelock  the  Dane,  of  Siegfried,  of  Roland,  and 
Arthur  put  them  in  the  class  known  as  the  "  Fatal 
Children,"  or  those  whose  innate  greatness  no 
earthly  obstacle  can  withstand. 

See  Heroes  of  Myth,  by  Lillian  L.  Price  and 
Chas.  B.  Gilbert. 

One  more  important  and  curious  topic  is  that 
of  Were  Wolves  and  Swan  Maidens,  as  it  is  called, 
or  the  inhabiting  of  animal  bodies  by  human  souls, 
which  is  one  of  the  constantly  recurring  legends 
in  all  lands.  The  rescuing  of  the  imprisoned  spirit 
has  led  to  innumerable  stories. 

The  myths  concerning  the  ascent  of  souls  to 
Heaven  is  most  interesting,  and  the  legends  of 
the  Milky  Way  and  the  Rainbow  Bridge  are 
poetic  and  lovely.    The   story  of  Jack  and  the 


AND    PROGRAMS  81 

Bean  Stalk  is  considered  to  belong  to  the  general 
group. 

If  there  is  time,  have  one  meeting  on  the  sub- 
jects of  dwarfs  alone.  Note  the  differences  between 
black,  brown,  and  white  dwarfs,  and  trolls,  elves, 
pixies,  kobolds,  brownies,  and  goblins.  See  how 
closely  all  are  related  to  the  life  of  man.  Contrast 
their  cleverness  with  the  invariable  stupidity  of 
giants. 

In  addition  to  these  topics  clubs  will  find  the 
folk-lore  of  the  Australians,  the  islanders  every- 
where, and  of  savage  races,  full  of  interest.  A 
book  just  published,  called  The  Fetich  Folk  of 
West  Africa,  by  R.  H.  Milligan,  bears  on  the  last 
point. 

The  subject  of  myths  and  legends  will  be  found 
of  far  greater  interest  if  each  topic  is  illustrated 
by  pictures.  There  are  many  fairy  books  for 
children  for  which  artists  have  made  beautiful 
drawings,  and  some  especially  lovely,  in  colors. 
In  studying  the  Hero  stories,  get  reproductions  of 
famous  pictures  of  the  Rhine,  legends,  and  look 
up  Abbey's  pictures  of  Arthur  and  his  knights. 

Clubs  composed  of  mothers  and  teachers  may 
take  up  the  subject  of  telling  fairy  stories  to 
children;    which  ones  to  tell  and  which  to  omit. 


82        WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

and  how  to  tell  them.  Hero  stories  are  always  in- 
teresting to  growing  boys,  and  teachers  can  sug- 
gest to  them  which  are  the  wisest  to  choose.  In- 
stead of  reading  stories  and  legends  at  every 
club  meeting  it  is  well  to  have  them  told  by  some 
one  skilful  in  the  art. 

Clubs  which  wish  to  study  the  general  subject 
of  folk-lore  in  a  serious  way  will  find  the  topic 
of  comparative  religions  most  interesting  and 
valuable;  scholars  are  everywhere  taking  it  up, 
and  there  are  many  books  upon  it,  notably 
Frazer's  Golden  Bough,  already  suggested  under 
another  head. 

The  folk-lore  of  the  ancient  Hebrews  can  be 
either  taken  separately  or  as  a  part  of  this  sub- 
ject; the  old  hero  mj^ths  of  the  Bible,  of  Samson 
especially,  will  be  found  dehghtful. 


AND    PROGRAMS  83 


CHAPTER  VI 

A  Trip  Through  the  British  Isi.es 

I  —  NEW   YORK   TO   LONDON 

1.  Leaving  New  York  —  The  docks,  the  harbor, 
description  of  the  steamer;   life  on  the  ocean. 

2.  The  Landing:  Liverpool  —  The  new  docks; 
the  art  galler3^ 

3.  On  the  Way  to  London  —  The  Northwestern 
Railway;  English  railway-cars;  English  traveling 
companions;   the  countryside. 

4.  The  First  Stop:  Rugby  —  English  Inns; 
Thomas  Arnold  and  Rugby  School.  Brief  read- 
ing from  Tom  Brown's  School  Days. 

5.  Arriving  in  London  —  The  London  cab; 
the  motor-bus;  the  London  lodging-house;  Eng- 
lish and  American  comfort. 

Books  to  Consult  —  John  C.  VanDyke:  The 
Opal  Sea.  Hare:  Walks  in  London.  E.  V.  Lucas: 
The  Friendly  Town.  Hawthorne:  English  Note- 
Books.    William  Winter:  Grey  Days  and  Gold. 

By   stopping  in   Liverpool   a   few  days,   there 


84         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

are  several  delightful  side-trips  possible:  one  to 
Chester,  to  see  the  cathedral,  the  Roman  ruins, 
the  famous  walls,  and  the  Rows;  another  to 
Hawarden,  the  home  of  Gladstone,  and  a  third 
to  Eaton  Hall,  the  seat  of  the  Duke  of  West- 
minster. 

By  going  to  London  by  the  Midland,  one  passes 
through  the  Peak  country;  look  up  beautiful 
Haddon  Hall  and  Chatsworth;  read  the  Story 
of  Dorothy  Vernon  and  Scott's  Peveril  of  the 
Peak.  Going  by  the  Great  Northern,  one  can  see 
the  famous  Five  Dukeries,  and  pass  through  Sher- 
wood Forest;   read  of  the  latter  from  Ivanhoe. 

II  —  LONDON 

1.  The  Largest  City  in  the  World  —  Study  of 
its  map.  Statistics.  Modem  improvements. 
Charities.  Government  (the  county  council; 
the  Lord  Mayor  and  aldermen). 

2.  The  History  of  London  —  The  ancient  Brit- 
ons and  their  pile  dwellings.  Coming  of  the 
Romans.  The  days  of  Alfred.  Norman  London. 
Under  the  Tudors.  The  Great  Fire  and  the 
changes  it  made. 

3.  Survivals  of  Old  London  —  Fragments  of 
the  Roman  wall.     The  Hall  of  William  Rufus. 


AND    PROGRAMS  85 

The  Tower  and  its  church.  The  Abbey.  Read- 
ings from  The  Spectator  and  Washington  Irving's 
Sketch-Book,  describing  the  Abbey.  Corona- 
tions, including  a  brief  description  of  that  of 
George   V. 

4.  Modern  London  —  Buckingham  Palace  and 
its  history.  The  Houses  of  Parliament  and  their 
decoration.  Art  galleries  and  museums  and  their 
most  remarkable  contents.  St.  Paul's.  West- 
minster Cathedral.     The  homes  of  the  nobility. 

5 .  Literary  Landmarks  of  London  — Grub  Street. 
The  Cheshire  Cheese  and  the  Kjt-Kat  Club. 
Dickens's  London.     Residences  of  literary  people. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Hare:  Walks  in  London. 
Besant:  London  (also  his  books  about  the  several 
sections).  Hutton:  Literary  Landmarks  of  Lon- 
don. Singleton:  London  as  Seen  and  Described 
by  Famous  Writers.  E.  V.  Lucas:  The  Friendly 
Town. 

An  attractive  discussion  may  follow  these 
topics  on  such  themes  as  the  modem  housing 
problems  of  London,  and  the  transportation 
of  the  city  (trams,  tubes,  motor-buses).  Compare 
the  hotels  and  restaurants  with  those  of  New  York. 
Shopping.  Social  settlements,  especially  Toynbee 
Hall.    The  fashionable  residence  district.    London 


86         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Bridge  by  day  and  by  night.      The  London  pag- 
eant of  1911. 

Ill  —  THE   GREAT   CATHEDRALS 

1.  Canterbury  —  Description  of  the  town.  St. 
Martin's,  the  Mother  Church  of  England.  Mon- 
astery of  St.  Augustine.  Architecture  of  the 
cathedral,  and  periods  represented.  Great  events 
connected  with  its  history.  Story  of  Thomas 
a  Becket. 

2.  Winchester,  Salisbury,  and  Wells  —  The  an- 
cient town  of  Winchester  and  its  place  in  English 
history.  Caskets  of  the  Danish  kings.  The  glass. 
Graves  of  Jane  Austen  and  Izaak  Walton.  Salis- 
bury: the  most  symmetrical  of  the  cathedrals. 
The  cloister.  Wells:  the  moated  palace  of  the 
bishops;  the  vicar's  close;  the  chapter-house 
staircase. 

3.  Ely  and  Peterborough  —  Ely:  the  fens.  Story 
of  King  Canute.  The  military  architecture. 
Peterborough:  the  screen  of  the  west  front;  the 
painted  wood  ceiling;  the  grave  of  Queen  Cathar- 
ine of  Aragon,  and  the  former  grave  of  Mary 
Queen  of  Scots. 

4.  Lincoln  and  Lichfield  —  Lincoln:  the  bish- 
op's eye,  and  the  dean's  eye;  site  of  the  shrine  of 


AND   PROGRAMS  87 

Little  Hugh  of  Lincoln;  old  houses  around  the 
close.  Lichfield:  symmetry;  monuments  of 
Lady  Mary  Wortley  Montagu,  Samuel  Johnson, 
and  Garrick.  Johnson's  connection  with  Lich- 
field.    The  Grammar-School. 

5.  York  and  Durham  —  York:  the  old  city 
and  its  walls;  the  Five  Sisters  window;  the 
military  monuments;  the  famous  chapter-house; 
the  crypt;  the  horn  of  Ulphus.  Durham:  story 
of  the  monks  of  Lindisfarne  and  St.  Cuthbert; 
the  dun  cow;  the  prince  bishops;  the  Norman 
pillars;  the  Galilee,  and  the  grave  of  The  Venerable 
Bede;    the  knocker. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Van  Rensselaer:  English 
Cathedrals.  Pratt:  Cathedral  Churches  of  Eng- 
land. Singleton:  Famous  Cathedrals  as  Seen 
and  Described  by  Great  Writers. 

If  time  permits,  this  program  should  occupy 
two  meetings  at  least.  To  the  great  cathedrals 
given  may  be  added  the  smaller  ones,  Chichester, 
Gloucester,  Worcester,  Chester,  Exeter,  Ripon 
and  Carlisle.  To  the  excursion  to  Wells  add  a 
side-trip  to  Glastonbury,  the  home  of  the  Arthu- 
rian legends.  At  Winchester  visit  the  Hospital 
of  St.  Cross  and  the  famous  school.  At  Canter- 
bury read  from  David  Copperfield. 


88         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

IV  —  OXFORD   AND   CAMBRIDGE 

1.  Oxford:  the  City  —  The  Cherwell  and  the 
Isis.  The  castle.  Carfax.  The  martyrs  and 
their  monument.  The  cathedral.  Trips  to  Iffley, 
Blenheim,  Woodstock,  and  Gaunt  House. 

2.  Oxford:  the  Colleges  —  Origin  and  consti- 
tution of  university.  New  College:  William 
of  Wykeham's  Tower  and  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds's 
window;  Christ  Church:  Cardinal  Wolsey,  the 
great  bell,  the  hall  and  staircase;  Magdalen 
College:  the  Founder's  Tower,  the  deer  park, 
Addison's  Walk,  the  outdoor  pulpit;  Balliol 
College:  John  Balliol,  King  of  Scotland,  Wiclif, 
Jowett. 

3.  Oxford:  in  English  History  and  Literature  — 
The  monks;  the  Empress  Matilda;  Charles  I.;  the 
Oxford  Movement.  Famous  authors  educated 
at  Oxford:  Ben  Jonson,  Sidney,  Locke,  Jeremy 
Taylor,  Ruskin,  Matthew  Arnold,  Swinburne, 
Pater.  Books  describing  life  in  college  at  Oxford: 
Verdant  Green,  Hard  Cash,  Tom  Brown  at  Ox- 
ford. Readings  about  Oxford  from  Matthew 
Arnold,  Andrew  Lang,  and  Bagehot. 

4.  Cambridge:  the  City  and  the  Colleges  —  The 
round  Norman  church;   the  Cam  and  the  Backs. 


AND    PROGRAMS  89 


Pembroke  College:  Edmund  Spenser's  mulberry- 
tree;  Queen's:  the  bridge;  King's:  Henry 
Seventh's  chapel;  Trinity:  Wren's  library,  Mil- 
ton manuscript;  St.  John's:  the  garden;  Mag- 
dalen: the  Pepys  library;  Emmanuel:  the 
Puritans'  college,  John  Harvard. 

5.  Cambridge  and  the  Intellectual  Life  of  Eng- 
land—  Government  and  Science:  Bacon,  New- 
ton, Harvey,  Darwin,  Thurlow,  Palmerston. 
Letters:  Ascham,  Marlowe,  Crashaw,  Dry  den. 
Gray,  Coleridge,  Wordsworth,  Byron,  Thackeray, 
Tennyson. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Andrew  Lang:  Oxford. 
Edwards:  Oxford  Painted  by  John  Fulleylove. 
Atkinson:  Cambridge  Described  and  Illustrated. 
Stubbs:    The  History  of  Cambridge. 

Read  especially  the  famous  passage  from  the 
preface  to  Matthew  Arnold's  Essays  in  Criticism, 
concerning  Oxford.  Show  a  photograph  of  the 
beautiful  memorial  of  Shelley  and  one  of  Holman 
Hunt's  picture  called,  "  The  Light  of  the  World." 
Tell  of  the  Bodleian  Library  and  the  Sheldonian 
Theater.  Read  O.  W.  Holmes's  account  of  the 
granting  of  degrees.  Under  Cambridge,  notice 
King's  College  chapel  and  compare  the  ceiling 
with   that  of  Henry  Seventh's  chapel  in  West- 


90         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

minster  Abbey,  built  at  the  same  time.  Give  a 
brief  paper  on  Girton  and  Newnham  Colleges  for 
women. 

V  —  THE   LAKE   COUNTRY 

1.  Introductory  Pamper  —  General  description  of 
Westmoreland  and  Cumberland  Counties.  The  six- 
teen lakes,  including  Windermere,  Ullswater,  Con- 
iston,  and  Derwentwater.      History  of  the-region. 

2.  Windermere  and  Its  Neighborhood  —  Bowness 
and  its  church.  The  steamer  trip.  Elleray  and 
Christopher  North.  Hawkshead  and  the  Words- 
worth Grammar-School.  Coniston.  Brantwood 
and  Ruskin.     The  Duddon  Valley. 

3.  Ambleside,  Grasmere,  and  Keswick  —  Coach- 
ing. Dove's  Nest.  Fox  How,  the  home  of  Thomas 
Arnold.  Rydal  Mount.  Nab  Cottage  and  Hart- 
ley Coleridge.  Grasmere  Church  and  Words- 
worth grave  and  monument.  Keswick  and  the 
home  of  Southey,  Greta  Hall.  Crosthwaite 
Church  and  Southey's  tomb.  Derwentwater 
and  the  Friar's  Crag.    The  Falls  of  Lodore. 

4.  The  Lake  School  of  Poets  —  Wordsworth, 
Southey,  and  Coleridge.  Readings  from  Words- 
worth's Excursion  and  his  sonnets.  Reading 
from  Southey's  Lodore. 


AND    PROGRAMS  91 

Books  to  Consult  —  Eric  Robertson :  Words- 
worthshire.  Rawnsley:  Life  and  Nature  at  the 
English  Lakes  (also  several  other  books  by  the 
same  author).  Knight:  The  English  Lake  Dis- 
trict as  Interpreted  in  the  Poems  of  Wordsworth. 
A.  G.  Bradley  (and  Pennell):  Highways  and  By- 
ways in  the  Lake  District.  Palmer:  The  English 
Lakes. 

If  possible,  have  a  talk  on  Dorothy  Wordsworth 
and  the  home  life  of  brother  and  sister.  Men- 
tion some  of  their  visitors,  among  them  Charles 
Lamb,  the  friend  of  the  three  Lake  Poets.  Read 
Wordsworth's  poem  about  his  wife:  "She  was 
a  Phantom  of  Delight."  The  connection  of  the 
Arnolds,  Thomas  and  Matthew,  with  the  lake 
country  is  full  of  interest,  as  well  as  that  of  Har- 
riet Martineau.  Refer  also  to  Arthur  Hugh 
Clough,  who  lived  here  for  a  time.  The  schools 
founded  by  Ruskin  are  worth  study,  where  the 
plowboys  learned  to  make  beautiful  pottery,  and 
the  farmers'  daughters,  embroidery. 

VI  —  THE   SHAKESPEARE  COUNTRY 

1.  Stratford  on  Avo7i  —  Shakespeare's  birth- 
place; the  signatures  of  famous  people  on  the 
walls;  the  museum,  the  garden.    The  Grammar- 


92         WO^IAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

School.  New  Place  and  the  Mulberry -Tree.  The 
church  and  the  tomb  of  Shakespeare,  with  its  in- 
scription.    The  river  Avon. 

2.  Around  Stratford  —  Shotterj^  and  the  home 
of  Ann  Hathaway.  Charlcote  and  the  deer- 
park.  The  Elizabethan  mansion  and  the  church 
of  Hampton  Lucy. 

3.  Kenilworth  —  The  famous  revels  prepared 
for  Queen  Elizabeth  by  the  Earl  of  Leicester  in 
1574.  Shakespeare's  relation  to  the  Queen  and 
the  court.  Were  any  plays  written  at  her  sug- 
gestion? The  present  ruins  of  Kenilworth  and 
Amy  Robsart's  tower. 

4.  Warwick  —  The  castle  and  its  treasures 
and  history.  Leycester  Hospital.  The  Church 
of  Saint  Mary  with  the  tomb  of  the  great  Earl 
of  Leicester.     Guy's  Cliff. 

Books  TO  Consult  —  William  Winter:  Shake- 
speare's England.  Goadby:  The  England  of 
Shakespeare.  Leyland:  The  Shakespeare  Coun- 
try Illustrated.    Turner:   Shakespeare's  Land. 

The  country  about  Stratford  is  constantly 
referred  to  in  the  plays  of  Shakespeare.  In  Henry 
IV.,  The  Taming  of  the  Shrew,  and  The  Merry 
Wives  of  Windsor  there  arc  numerous  passages 
which  touch  it.    The  Forest  of  Arden  is  deserving 


AND    PROGRAMS  93 

of  a  side-trip,  and  on  the  way  travelers  watch  for 
the  wild  thyme,  the  primroses,  the  violets,  and 
other  flowers  mentioned  by  Shakespeare.  There 
may  be  a  little  tour  to  Coventry,  the  quaint  old 
town  associated  with  the  story  of  Lady  Godiva. 
Photographs  for  illustrating  the  Shakespeare 
country  are  abundant  and  beautiful,  and  are 
easily  obtained. 

VII SCOTLAND   (pART   l) 

1.  Edinburgh  —  General  appearance  of  the  city. 
The  old  town  and  the  new.  The  castle.  Saint 
Giles's.  The  Knox  house.  Holyrood.  The  Tol- 
booth.  The  wynds.  The  Canongate.  Grey 
Friars.    The  Scott  monument.    The  university. 

2.  Through  the  Lakes  and  the  Trossachs  to  Glas- 
gow—  Railway,  steamer,  and  coach.  Stirling: 
the  castle,  field  of  Bannockburn,  the  Wallace 
monument.  The  Trossachs.  Loch  Katrine  and 
Ellen's  Isle  (see  The  Lady  of  the  Lake).  Loch 
Lomond  and  Ben  Lomond.  Glasgow:  the  cathe- 
dral, the  university.  The  Clyde.  Reading  from 
The  Lady  of  the  Lake. 

3.  The  Land  of  Burns  —  Ayr:  the  Auld  Brig 
and  the  New  Brig,  Bums's  cottage,  the  Brig  o' 
Doon,  Auld  Alloway  Kirk.     The  Bums  monu- 


94         WOINIAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

ment.  Dumfries:  Burus's  house  (where  he  died), 
his  grave  and  monument.  Reading  of  Tain  o' 
Shanter. 

4.  Scotfs  Country  —  Abbotsford.  Melrose. 
Dryburgh.  Reading  from  Washington  Irving's  ac- 
count of  his  visit  to  Abbotsford,  and  the  account 
of  Scott's  funeral  in  Lockhart's  Life  of  Scott. 

Books  to  Consult  —  William  Winter:  Over 
the  Border.  Hunnewell:  Lands  of  Scott.  iCrock- 
ett:  In  the  Border  Country.  Crockett:  The 
Scott  Country.  Sir  H.  E.  Maxwell:  The  Story 
of  the  Tweed. 

A  day's  coaching-trip  from  Edinburgh  takes 
one  to  the  beautiful  little  chapel  of  Roslin  with 
its  "  'Prentice  Pillar,"  and  to  Hawthornden, 
the  glen  where  Drummond,  the  Elizabethan 
poet,  lived.  A  second  excursion  may  be  made  to 
the  old  university  town  of  Saint  Andrews,  with 
its  castle  (a  ruin)  and  the  bottle  dungeon,  and  also 
the  famous  golf-links.  A  trip  may  be  taken  to 
the  seaside  town  of  Newhaven,  to  see  the  fish- 
wives in  their  quaint  costumes. 

VIII  —  SCOTLAND    (pART   II ) 

1.  Perth  and  Aberdeen  —  Perth:  St.  John*s 
Church.     Site  of  the  convent  and  the  story  of 


AND    PROGHAMS  95 

The  King's  Tragedy  (see  Rossetti).  Reading 
from  Scott's  Fair  Maid  of  Perth.  Bahnoral: 
Reading  from  Queen  Victoria's  Journal  in  the 
Highlands.  Aberdeen:  History.  The  granite 
works.  The  Cathedral  of  St.  Machar.  The 
university  (King's  College).    Bridge  of  Don  (1320). 

2.  Oba7i  —  "  The  Charing  Cross  of  the  High- 
lands." The  Island  of  Mull.  Staffa  ("  Island  of 
Pillars  " )  and  Fingal's  Cave.  lona.  St.  Colum- 
ba's  church.  Story  of  his  life.  Reading  from 
Bede's  Ecclesiastical  History.    The  Celtic  crosses. 

3.  The  Caledonian  Canal  —  Start  from  Oban. 
Glencoe  and  the  story  of  its  massacre.  Ossian's 
cave.  Ben  Nevis  (highest  mountain  in  Great 
Britain).     Invergarry  Castle.     Fall  of  Foyers. 

4.  Skye  and  the  Islands  —  Reading  from  Will- 
iam Black's  A  Princess  of  Thule;  also,  from 
Scott's  Pirate.  The  Orkney  Islands.  Sea  fowl. 
Fisheries.  The  Shetland  Islands.  Story  of 
Harold  Haarfagr. 

Books  to  Consult  —  James  Boswell:  Journal 
of  a  Tour  to  the  Hebrides.  R.  B.  Moncrieff: 
Highlands  and  Islands  of  Scotland.  Archibald 
MacMillan:  lona.  George  Birkbeck  Hill:  Foot- 
steps of  Dr.  Johnson. 

Introduce  in  this  program  the    ballads   of  the 


96         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Scottish  Highlands,  either  read  or  sung.  The 
origin  of  the  tartans  used  by  the  different  clans 
is  interesting,  especially  if  illustrated  with 
colored  reproductions.  The  unique  Highland 
costume  for  men  may  be  described  or  represented. 
The  bagpipes  should  be  noticed;  their  peculiar 
music  and  their  historic  use. 

IX  —  WALES 

1.  History  —  The  Romans  and  their  remains. 
Offa's  Dyke.  The  Normans  and  their  buildings. 
Griffith  ap  Rhyl.  Llewlyn  the  Great.  Owen 
Glendower's  revolt.  Origin  of  the  Tudor  kings 
in  Wales.    The  story  of  the  Princes  of  Wales. 

2.  The  Country  and  the  People  —  Wildness  and 
grandeur.  Llandudno,  Llangollen,  Bettws-y-Coed, 
Snowdon.  Show  photographs  of  the  most  famous 
places.  The  Celts  and  their  languages.  National 
customs  of  the  Welsh:    the  eisteddfod. 

3.  Churches  and  Castles  —  Wrexliam  Church 
and  the  tomb  of  Elihu  Yale.  Valle  Crucis  Abbey. 
Truro.  St.  Asaph's  Cathedral,  the  smallest  in 
the  kingdom,  and  the  grave  of  Mrs.  Hemans. 
Llandaff  Cathedral.  Cardiff  Castle.  Beaumaris. 
Hawarden  Church,  in  the  grounds  of  Gladstone's 
estate.     Pembroke,  the  birthplace  of  Henry  VII. 


AND    PROGRAMS  97 

Bangor.  Denbigh.  Conway.  Carnarvon,  the 
birthplace  of  the  first  Prince  of  Wales.  Harlech. 
Powys. 

4.  Literature  —  Giraldus  Cambrensis.  The 
Arthurian  Legends.  The  Mabinogion.  Celtic 
Folk-lore. 

Books  to  Consult  —  E.  Thomas  and  R. 
Fowler:  Beautiful  Wales.  A.  G.  Bradley:  High- 
ways and  Byways  in  Wales.  W.  J.  Griffith :  Short 
Analysis  of  Welsh  History  (Temple  Primers). 
George  Borrow:  Wild  Wales.  J.  B.  John:  The 
Mabinogion. 

Welsh  music  should  have  some  place  in  the 
program.  Great  choruses  of  singers  have  traveled 
in  America,  and  may  have  been  heard  by  some 
of  the  club  members.  The  best-known  song  is  the 
stirring  March  of  the  Men  of  Harlech.  An  inter- 
esting paper  may  be  prepared  on  the  relation 
existing  between  Tennyson's  Idyls  of  the  King 
and  the  Welsh  legends. 

X  —  IRELAND 

1.  The  History  —  The  Celts:  their  character- 
istics, customs,  and  folk-lore.  The  Irish  kings. 
St.  Columba  and  St.  Patrick.  The  conquest. 
The  question  of  home  rule. 


98         WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

2.  Belfast,  the  City  of  the  North  —  Differences 
between  the  people  of  the  north  and  those  of  the 
south.  Protestants  and  CathoHcs.  Ship-build- 
ing and  the  linen  industry.  Dimensions  of  some 
of  the  recently  made  ships.  The  Giant's  Cause- 
way. 

3.  Dublin  —  The  government  buildings.  Phoe- 
nix Park  and  its  history.  The  cathedral  and  Dean 
Swift.    Excursions  in  the  neighborhood. 

4.  Cork  and  the  South  —  The  city  and  its 
characteristics.  The  Gap  of  Dunloe.  The  Lakes 
of  Kjllarney.  Blarney  Castle.  Show  photo- 
graphs. 

5.  Irish  Literature  —  Ancient.  Readings  from 
the  publications  of  the  Irish  Text  Society.  Ora- 
tory. Sheridan,  Burke,  Grattan,  O'Connell.  Folk- 
tales and  folk-songs.  See  volume  x.  of  Morris's 
Irish  Literature.  Novels:  Lover,  Edgeworth, 
Lever,  William  Carleton.  Readings.  The  New 
Irish  Theater:    Yeats,  Syngc,  Lady  Gregory. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Mrs.  Alice  S.  A.  Green: 
Irish  Nationality.  J.  P.  Joyce:  The  Wonders  of 
Ireland.  W.  C.  O'Donnell:  Around  the  Emerald 
Isles.  F.  Weitenkampf:  The  Irish  Literary  Re- 
vival. 

To  vary   this  program,   illustrate  with  scenes 


AND   PROGRAMS  99 

from  Sheridan's  School  for  Scandal,  and  The 
Rivals,  in  costume.  Have  Moore's  ballads  sung: 
Oft  in  the  Stilly  Night,  Those  Evening  Bells, 
The  Last  Rose  of  Summer,  and  The  Harp  that 
Once  Through  Tara's  Halls.  Read  from  Lever's 
Charles  O'Malley  and  from  Burke's  speech  on 
the  impeachment  of  Warren  Hastings.  Clever 
Irish  stories  and  famous  bulls  might  be  given  to 
close  the  hour. 


100       WOJNIAN'S    CLUB    WORK 


CHAPTER  YLl 

The  Opera 

introductory 

It  is  part  of  a  liberal  education  to  be  more  or 
less  acquainted  with  the  lives  of  our  great  com- 
posers and  the  operas  they  wrote;  and  the  sub- 
ject is  quite  as  interesting  and  practical  for  the 
women  remote  from  musical  centers  as  for  those 
near  them.  There  are  two  books  any  club  can 
own  which  are  invaluable;  one  is  called  The 
Opera,  by  R.  A.  Streatfield,  which  gives  a  sketch 
of  each  composer  and  an  estimate  of  his  work;  the 
other, Two  Hundred  Opera  Plots,  by  Gladys  David- 
son tells  the  story  of  each  opera.  In  addition  to 
these  (and  of  course  whatever  is  to  be  found  in  a 
good  encyclopedia)  the  score  of  any  opera  can  be 
bought  at  a  music  store,  and  a  pianist  can  illus- 
trate a  talk  with  leading  airs;  or,  if  practicable, 
one  of  the  modern  musical  machines  can  repro- 
duce the  voices  of  famous  singers  in  their  great 
parts. 


AND   PROGRAMS  loi 

I  —  RISE   OF   OPERA   IN   ITALY 

The  year's  work  should  begin  by  one  or  more 
meetings  on  the  Rise  of  Opera  in  Italy  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  sixteenth  century.  Three  little  operas 
were  written,  attempting  to  give  the  old  Greek 
dramas  in  a  musical  setting.  The  first  public 
performance  of  opera  as  we  know  it,  however,  was 
given  by  Peri,  in  Florence,  with  his  Euridice, 
to  honor  the  marriage  of  Maria  de'  Medici  and 
Henry  IV.  of  France;  this  was  a  sort  of  recitative, 
set  to  the  music  of  a  violin,  a  guitar,  and  harp- 
sichord. 

Peri  was  followed  by  Monteverde,  but  the 
latter's  production  of  Orfeo  far  surpassed  the 
former's  work  on  the  same  theme.  His  orchestra 
had  thirty-nine  instruments,  and  the  effect  of 
the  whole  was  to  open  a  new  world  of  music. 
At  once  opera- writing  became  the  fashion,  and 
in  fifty  years  all  great  Italian  cities  had  their 
schools  of  opera,  and  France  had  adopted  the 
same  ideas.  The  subjects  of  all  were  classical, 
allegorical,  and  pastoral,  and  to  the  recitative, 
alone,  were  added  songs  and  arias,  and  the  over- 
ture was  developed.  Some  clubs  might  take  for  a 
year's  work  the  subject  of  Italy  of  this  period, 


102       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

adding  the  study  of  art  and  literature  to  that  of 
music.  A  good  book  to  use  is  Morton  Latham's 
Renaissance  of  Music. 

II  —  THREE   GREAT   COMPOSERS 

At  this  point  the  history  of  opera  divides, 
and  three  great  composers  are  to  be  noted.  Clubs 
should  have  a  paper  on  each,  the  material  drawn 
from    the    encyclopedia. 

1.  Lulli,  though  born  in  Italy,  lived  in  Paris; 
he  wrote  twenty  operas,  all  of  which  were  splen- 
didly produced.  He  used  largely  the  form  of  rec- 
itative, but  developed  the  overture,  dividing  it 
into  a  prelude,  a  fugue,  and  a  dance. 

2.  Humphreys,  an  English  composer,  was  sent 
by  Charles  II.  to  France  to  study;  on  his  return 
he  had  for  his  pupil  Henry  Purcell,  still  considered 
the  greatest  musical  genius  England  has  produced. 
His  Dido  and  iEneas  is  the  first  English  opera. 

3.  The  third  great  man  of  the  time  was  Handel, 
who  produced  in  Hamburg  the  opera  Almira, 
a  mixture  of  German  and  Italian  ideas,  but  made 
beautiful  by  the  charming  dance  music  scattered 
through  it.  Later  he  wrote  Rinaldo,  and  it  was 
brought  out  with  overwhelming  success. 

Clubs  should  give  an  entire  meeting  to  Handel. 


AND   PROGRAMS  103 

Many  of  his  well-known  oratorios  have  selections 
which  are  more  familiar  than  any  passages  from 
his  operas,  however,  notably  the  Messiah  and 
Elijah. 

Ill  —  THE   CLASSICAL   SCHOOL 

After  the  death  of  Liilli  the  French  school 
followed  him  with  little  originality  until,  in  the 
eighteenth  century,  Rameau  gave  opera  more 
rhythm  and  melody,  and  added  to  the  orchestra- 
tion. Then  Gluck  appeared,  studying  first  in 
Italy,  where  opera  had  degenerated;  he  wrote 
Piramo  e  Tisbe,  which  failed;  later  he  brought 
out  Orfeo  ed  Euridice,  which  at  once  made  him 
famous.  The  music  is  appropriate  to  the  lofty 
and  sad  classical  theme,  but  is  relieved  with 
exquisite  reproductions  of  bird  and  water  music. 
The  whole  is  one  of  the  great  operas.  The  great 
song  is  Che  faro  senza  Euridice. 

Mozart,  though  a  German  by  birth,  was  trained 
under  Italian  influence.  His  first  opera  was  written 
when  he  was  twelve  years  old,  and  given  in  his 
native  town.  His  greatest  work  was  Don  Gio- 
vanni, though  his  last.  The  Magic  Flute,  is 
best  known.  But  it  was  his  influence  over  other 
musicians,  like  that  of  Rameau,  which  was  even 


104       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

more  important  than  his  own  music.  Mozart  is 
one  of  the  most  dehghtful  topics  for  club  study. 
His  charming  personahty,  his  friendships,  and  his 
life-story  are  full  of  interest. 

Cherubini's  work,  at  first  cold  and  formal, 
developed  into  dignity  and  even  grandeur.  His 
finest  opera  is  Medee,  although  his  one  light 
opera,  The  Water  Carriers,  is  also  well  known. 

Beethoven  gave  one  famous  opera  to  Germany 
at  this  time,  his  Fidelio.  The  music  shows 
strongly  the  influence  of  Mozart,  but  it  is  original 
in  form  and  beautiful  in  execution.  The  Fateful 
Moment  is  a  good  selection  to  give. 

IV  —  THE   ROMANTIC   SCHOOL 

Weber,  a  German,  was  the  first  to  turn  from  the 
conventional  type  of  opera-writing  to  the  romantic. 
To  his  solid  foundation  he  added  an  exquisite, 
imaginative  glow.  After  years  of  struggle  he 
achieved  success  in  his  Der  Freischiitz.  Ob- 
cron,  his  last  work,  full  of  fairylike  and  charming 
music,  did  not  succeed.  In  fact,  Weber's  greatest 
accomplishment  was  the  inspiration  he  gave 
others,  like  Mozart  and  Rameau.  The  overtures 
to  both  operas  should  be  given. 

Flotow,  a  German  by  birth,  wrote  distinctly 


AND    PROGRAMS  105 

Italian  music.  His  one  well-known  opera,  Mar- 
tha, still  has  a  certain  vogue,  though  it  is  re- 
membered more  for  its  tuneful  airs  than  for  any 
real  merit.  The  Spinning-Wheel  Song  and  the 
Last  Rose  of  Summer  are  familiar. 

Nicolai  began  his  work  by  imitating  Italian 
music,  but  later  he  became  distinctly  original  and 
wrote  a  really  excellent  comic  opera,  the  Merry 
Wives  of  Windsor,  which  stands  in  the  first  rank. 

Schubert  wrote  many  light  operas  of  slight 
musical  value,  and  Schumann  one  of  more  or  less 
worth,  called  Genoveva, 

Opera-writing  now  became  so  popular  every- 
where that  it  is  necessary  to  take  it  up  in  its 
different  homes,  and  to  divide  the  work  into  that 
done  in  the  earlier  and  later  years.    The  first  is: 

V THE    EARLIER    ITALIAN   SCHOOL 

Rossini,  born  at  the  end  of  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury, knew  little  of  technical  methods,  so  he  fol- 
lowed his  native  genius.  His  first  great  opera  was 
Tancredi,  and  this  was  followed  by  others  in  a 
lighter  vem,  notably  the  Barber  of  Seville,  bright 
and  amusing,  and  later  William  Tell,  his  finest 
work,  dignified  and  beautiful.  The  overture  to  the 
last  is  one  of  his  familiar  melodies. 


106       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Donizetti,  born  in  the  same  decade  with  Rossini, 
wrote  sixty-five  operas;  one  of  the  best-known  is 
Lucia  di  Lammermoor,  with  its  famous  sextet. 
Lucrezia  Borgia,  probably  his  best  work,  is  but 
seldom  given  to-day,  but  La  Fille  du  Regiment, 
a  gay,  charming  little  opera,  is  often  presented. 

Bellini,  who  comes  a  few  years  later  than  the 
last  two  composers,  wrote  operas  famous  in  their 
day.  I  Puritani,  La  Sonnambula,  and  Norma, 
are  all  well  known.  The  solo,  Hear  Me,  Norma, 
is  especially  familiar. 

VI  —  THE   EARLIER   FRENCH    SCHOOL 

Meyerbeer,  born  in  1791,  though  of  German 
birth,  spent  most  of  his  life  in  Paris.  He  wrote 
many  excellent  operas,  even  though  they  were 
marred  by  sensationalism.  Robert  le  Diable, 
L'Africaine,  Les  Huguenots,  and  Le  Prophete 
have  all  been  often  given  by  great  singers.  Les 
Huguenots  is  considered  Meyerbeer's  best  work, 
and  the  duet  in  the  fourth  act  is  of  immense 
dramatic  force. 

In  contrast  with  this  composer  stands  Berlioz, 
born  in  1803.  His  work  is  serious,  with  romantic 
and  delicate  touches.  He  wrote  The  Damnation 
of  Faust  and  Benvenuto  Cellini,  but  his  great 


AND    PROGRAMS  107 

opera  is  Les  Troyens,  though  it  is  scarcely  known 
to  the  pubHc. 

Halevy  belongs  with  Meyerbeer,  for  one  re- 
jBected  the  other.  La  Juive  appeared  before  Les 
Huguenots,  and  the  music  of  both  has  much  in 
common. 

Just  at  this  time  light  opera,  or  opera  comique, 
found  in  Auber  its  greatest  composer.  He  began 
to  write  late  in  life,  and  his  last  opera.  The 
Dream  of  Love,  was  produced  when  he  was 
eighty-eight.  His  music  was  full  of  gaiety  and 
brightness.  Fra  Diavolo  and  Masaniello  are 
familiar,  and  the  part  of  Fenella  in  the  latter  has 
been  taken  by  many  famous  dancers.  Auber  has 
many  followers  to-day,  notably  Offenbach,  whose 
Tales  of  Hoffman  is  well  known. 

VII WAGNER    AND    HIS    SCHOOL 

Richard  Wagner,  born  in  1813,  is  by  far  the 
most  imposing  and  most  interesting  of  all  writers 
of  opera.  His  life  and  work  deserve  more  than  a 
passing  paper,  and  clubs  are  urged  to  make  an 
entire  year's  study  of  them.  At  twenty  he  wrote 
his  first  opera,  Die  Feen,  rather  a  simple  affair; 
this  was  distinctly  in  the  Italian  manner.  Next 
he  tried  the  French  method,  and  wrote  Rienzi, 


108       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

with  an  excellent  libretto  but  showy  music. 
Later,  in  poverty  in  Paris,  he  wrote  The  Flying 
Dutchman,  a  picturesque  piece  of  music  with 
beautiful  chorus  work.  After  this  came  the  first 
of  his  great  operas,  Tannhauser,  the  story 
of  the  struggle  of  a  soul  between  good  and  evil. 
This  contains  two  famous  passages,  the  Pil- 
grims' Chorus  and  the  exquisite  song  to  the 
Evening  Star.  It  is  in  this  opera  that  there 
first  appears  Wagner's  distinctive  method,  the 
use  of  the  Leit-motif,  or  guiding-theme,  which 
associates  one  strain  or  one  set  of  instruments  with 
one  character.  This  idea  had  been  slightly  used 
by  Gluck,  but  Wagner  developed  it. 

Five  years  later  came  Lohengrin,  not  as  strong 
a  piece  of  work  as  its  predecessor,  though  the 
prelude  is  acknowledged  to  be  one  of  his  most 
poetic  conceptions.  None  of  Wagner's  work  was 
successful,  however;  and  after  this  point  he  re- 
linquished the  hope  of  popularity,  and  determined 
to  write  only  what  seemed  to  him  great  music. 
In  this  lofty  spirit  he  planned  Der  Ring  des 
Nibelungen.  His  subject  was  taken  from  the 
old  Norse  mythology,  the  myths  altered  to  suit 
his  purpose.  The  whole  work  is  in  five  parts:  the 
Ring,  the  Rheingold,  the  Walkiirc,  Siegfried,  and 


AND    PROGRAMS 109 

the  Twilight  of  the  Gods.  The  plots  of  these 
should  be  read,  and  such  music  heard  as  can  be 
obtained. 

Then  came  Tristan  and  Isolde,  called  the  Romeo 
and  Juliet  of  music,  and  after  it,  strangely  enough, 
followed  a  light  opera,  Die  Meistersinger,  at  once 
a  success;  and  last,  what  is  considered  his  great- 
est work,  Parsifal,  which  he  called  a  Sacred  Festi- 
val Drama  rather  than  an  opera.  In  this  he  re- 
turns to  the  theme  he  used  in  Lohengrin  —  the 
Holy  Grail.  The  wonderful  and  touching  mysti- 
cal music  must  be  heard  to  be  appreciated.  For 
years  it  has  been  given  at  Bayreuth,  and  musicians 
from  all  over  the  world  have  gathered  to  hear  it. 
It  is  only  of  late  that  it  has  been  produced  else- 
where. 

Wagner's  life-work  was  to  alter  the  whole  course 
of  modern  opera  and  give  it  new  dignity  and 
power. 

VIII  —  THE   FRENCH   SCHOOL   OF   TO-DAY 

Gounod,  born  in  1818,  is  the  greatest  composer 
of  French  opera  of  modern  times.  His  master- 
piece is  Faust,  with  its  familiar  Jewel  Song;  his 
second  best  work  is  Romeo  and  Juliet. 

Thomas,  the  writer  of  Mignon,  full  of  melody. 


110       WOMAN'S    CLUB   WORK 

and  Hamlet,  with  its  brilliant  and  powerful  music, 
is  distinctly  a  follower  of  Gounod. 

Bizet  shows  in  his  Carmen  the  influence  of  Wag- 
ner; the  Toreador  strain  is  its  guiding-theme. 
His  work  was  to  raise  light  opera  to  almost  the 
dignity  of  grand. 

Saint-Saens  has  one  well-known  work,  Samson 
and  Delilah,  somewhat  suggestive  of  oratorio. 

Massenet,  who  died  but  lately,  was  Jull  of 
originality.  His  operas.  The  Cid,  Le  Jongleur  de 
Notre-Dame,  Manon,  and  Thais,  are  all  to  be 
seen  on  the  modern  stage. 

Charpentier  in  Louise  has  also  struck  an  origi- 
nal note,  and  his  orchestration  is  considered 
unique. 

Debussy  has  written  Pelleas  and  Melisande,  a 
new  opera  of  great  interest. 

Delibes  has  one  charming  opera,  Lakme,  founded 
on  the  love  of  a  Hindu  girl  for  an  English  oflScer. 

IX  —  THE   LATER   ITALIAN   SCHOOL 

Verdi,  born  in  1839  and  dying  only  recently, 
is  the  master  of  the  modern  Italian  composers. 
Ernani  is  typical  of  his  first  style,  and  was  im- 
mensely popular.  Later  he  wrote  La  Traviata, 
Rigoletto,  l\  Trovatore,  and  Aida.    When  Verdi 


AND    PROGRAMS  111 

was  an  old  man  he  wrote  Otello,  called  his  greatest 
work.  This  was  followed  by  Falstaff,  full  of  bright 
fun. 

Verdi's  genius  inspired  many  other  musicians. 
Of  them  all  Ponchielli  owed  him  most;  his  best 
opera  is  La  Gioconda. 

Puccini,  a  living  composer,  also  owes  mucli  to 
Verdi;  his  Manon  Lescaut,  La  Boheme,  Madame 
Butterfly,  and  The  Girl  of  the  Golden  West  prove 
his  great  promise. 

Mascagni  is  associated  with  one  opera  only, 
the  Cavalleria  Rusticana,  with  its  intermezzo 
which  gave  it  popularity.  His  later  work  is 
distinctly   second   rate. 

Leoncavallo  has  followed  Mascagni  somewhat. 
His  I  Pagliacci  is  his  best-known  opera. 

X  —  COMPOSERS  OF  MODERN  GERMANY  AND 
NORTHERN   EUROPE 

Almost  all  Germans  follow  Wagner  to-day, 
but  Goldmark  in  his  Queen  of  Sheba  shows 
independence,  especially  in  his  orchestration. 
Humperdinck's  lovely  Hansel  and  Gretel  has 
given  him  a  place  of  importance. 

The  Bohemian,  Smetana,  who  wrote  The  Bar- 
tered  Bride  cleverly  used  his  national  airs,  and 


112       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

this  and  his  other  operas  are  typical  of  his 
country. 

Ghnka,  born  in  1808,  founded  the  Russian 
school;  his  fine  opera  A  Life  for  the  Czar  is  well 
known. 

Richard  Strauss,  a  follower  of  Wagner,  is  the 
composer  of  Salome  and  Elektra  ;  the  music  is 
rich  and  complicated,  and  his  talent  unques- 
tioned. 

In  England,  Balfe,  born  in  1808,  wrote  several 
operas,  the  best  known  the  Bohemian  Girl,  with 
its  familiar  airs.  Since  his  day  there  has  been 
little  serious  work  done,  but  light  opera,  notably 
Sullivan's  Pinafore,  the  Mikado,  and  others  have 
had  great  success. 

In  America  we  have  Horatio  Parker,  with  his 
recent  Mona,  a  production  full  of  originality, 
if  one  not  yet  popular;  Reginald  De  Koven,  who 
wrote  the  excellent  Robin  Hood,  and  Victor 
Herbert,  the  author  of  lighter  works. 

In  addition  to  using  this  resume  of  opera,  clubs 
should  make  out  programs  on  popular  topics; 
or  there  may  be  one  topic  used  to  close  each  pro- 
gram. 

Subsidizing  the  opera:  shall  this  be  done  by  the 


AND   PROGRAMS  113 

state,  as  in  Germany;  or  by  individuals,  as  in 
New  York? 

Cheap  opera:  is  it  possible  for  us  to-day? 
How  is  it  managed  in  Germany  and  Italy?  What 
is  the  expense  of  opera  in  New  York,  in  great 
salaries,  scenery,  costumes,  etc.? 

Give  an  idea  of  some  famous  opera-houses  in 
Paris,  St.  Petersburg,  Berlin,  Milan,  Buenos 
Ayres,  and  elsewhere,  illustrating  with  photo- 
graphs. Tell  of  great  opera-singers  and  their 
careers;  mention  Patti,  Christine  Nilsson,  Calve, 
the  De  Reszkes,  Caruso,  and  others;  have  records 
of  such  voices,  if  possible.  Discuss  the  opera 
music  of  to-day:  Is  it  on  the  whole  melodious, 
or  is  there  a  tendency  to  return  to  the  old  style 
recitative?  Are  the  airs  as  marked  as  those  of  a 
decade  ago? 


114       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 


CHAPTER  VIII 

The  World's  Great  Painters 

I the   ITALIANS    (PART    l) 

1.  Italy  :  the  Birthplace  of  Modern  Painting  — 
The  influence  of  Byzantium ;  the  intellectual  awa- 
kening of  Europe ;  the  development  of  commerce. 

2.  The  Early  Painters  —  Cimabue,  Giotto,  Fra 
Angelico,  Botticelli. 

3.  Art  Patrons  of  the  Renaissance  —  Lorenzo 
de'  Medici;  Leo  X. 

Leonardo  da  Vinci:  The  Father  of  Modern 
Painting  —  Story  of  his  life;  his  versatility;  the 
Last  Supper;    the  Mona  Lisa. 

Reading  from  Walter  Pater's  Essay  on  the 
Renaissance. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Luebke:  History  of  Art. 
J.  A.  Symonds:  The  Renaissance  in  Italy.  Vasari: 
Lives  of  the  Painters. 

A  brief  introductory  paper  might  take  up  the 
influence  of  Roman  classical  literature  and  history 
on  Italian  art,  and  also  the  effect  of  Greek  cul- 


AND    PROGRAMS  115 

ture  after  the  Crusades.  The  childlike  subjects 
and  methods  of  the  early  painters  are  also  of 
great  interest,  and  what  they  took  from  Byzantine 
art,  and  how  they  were  influenced  by  the  study 
of  anatomy.  The  luxury  of  the  times  and  its 
demands  for  pictures  and  statues,  the  influence 
of  the  extravagance  of  court  life,  the  Popes  as 
art  patrons,  all  can  be  discussed.  One  entire 
paper  might  be  given  to  St.  Peter's  at  Rome,  and 
another  to  Da  Vinci's  great  picture  "  Mona 
Lisa,"  and  what  art  critics  have  said  of  it.  See 
also  Ruskin's  estimates  of  the  Primitives. 

II THE    ITALIANS     (pART    II) 

1.  Life  of  Raphael  —  His  family  and  his  father's 
influence;  change  in  his  style  through  his  instruc- 
tors. His  patrons,  and  what  he  did  for  them.  His 
personal  disposition,  and  its  effect  on  his  style. 

2.  Raphael  as  a  Painter  —  Give  the  impressions 
of  famous  travelers,  authors  and  art  critics. 
Where  his  paintings  are,  their  number,  their  sub- 
jects. The  Madonna,  his  favorite  subject.  Va- 
rious ways  in  which  he  treated  it. 

3.  Michelangelo  —  The  story  of  his  life  and 
training  as  a  painter.  Versatility  (as  architect, 
painter,  sculptor  and  poet).     Brief  description  of 


116       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

his  works  and  their  location.     Readings  from  his 
sonnets. 

4.  A  Comparison  of  Raphael  and  Michelangelo  — 
Their  relations  in  life,  their  difference  of  tempera- 
ment, and  the  contrast  in  the  spirit  of  their  work. 

5.  Titian  —  History  of  his  personal  experience. 
Description  of  his  most  famous  paintings.  His 
effect  on  the  history  of  painting,  as  a  colorist. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Muentz:  Raphael.  C. 
C.  Black:  Michelangelo  Buonarotti.  Crowe  and 
Cavalcaselle :  Titian.  C.  C.  Perkins:  Raphael 
and  Michelangelo. 

This  program  should  be  liberally  illustrated 
with  photographs;  if  no  others  can  be  obtained, 
the  Perry  pictures  will  do  excellently.  Those 
who  have  been  abroad  may  compare  impressions 
of  different  painters,  and  especially  of  the  various 
Madonnas  painted  by  Raphael.  Pictures  of  the 
exterior  and  interior  of  the  Sistine  Chapel  and 
of  Saint  Peter's  should  be  shown,  with  colored 
photographs  of  the  frescoes  on  the  walls  and  ceil- 
ing of  the  former. 

Ill  —  SPAIN 

1.  Early  Spanish  Painters  —  Murillo:  the  art- 
ist of  the  church;   his  Madonnas.    Ribera. 


AND    PROGRAMS  117 

2.  Velazquez  —  The  artist  of  the  crown;  in- 
fluence on  him  of  Herrera  and  Pacheco;  peculiarly 
Spanish  character;  his  patron,  Phihp  IV.;  the 
forty  portraits  of  this  king;  visit  of  the  painter 
to  Italy;  mythological  and  religious  pictures; 
his  Christ  on  the  Cross. 

3.  Recent  Spanish  Painters  —  Goya:  his  por- 
traits; story  of  his  quarrel  with  the  Duke  of 
Wellington.  Fortuny:  influence  upon  him  of 
Meissonier;  small  and  motley  figures.  Zuloaga: 
resemblance  of  style  to  Goya.  Sorolla  y  Bastida: 
painter  of  sunshine  on  figures;  pictures  in  the 
Luxembourg  and  the  Metropolitan  Museum. 

4.  The  Madrid  Gallery  —  The  greatest  picture- 
gallery  of  the  world;  built  for  Charles  III.  Col- 
lections of  Charles  V.,  Philip  II.,  and  Philip  IV. 
(2,000  pictures.)  Its  paintings  by  Titian,  Raphael, 
Tintoretto,  Velazquez,  Van  Dyck,  Rubens,  and 
Teniers.  Huge  modern  historical  works  like 
those  at  Versailles. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Curtis:  Velazquez  and 
Murillo.  Armstrong:  Life  of  Velazquez.  Stirling- 
Maxwell:  Annals  of  the  Artists  of  Spain.  Temple: 
Modem  Spanish  Painting. 

There  were  several  great  patrons  of  art  in 
Spain,  like  Charles  V.  and  Philip  II.     Read  of 


118       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

their  relations  to  the  painters  and  their  work. 
Discuss  the  contribution  of  the  Spanish  painters 
to  reahsm.  How  does  Velazquez  compare  with 
Raphael?  Analyze  the  peculiar  contribution  of 
Sorolla  to  modern  painting. 

IV  —  HOLLAND   AND   BELGIUM 

1.  Painters  of  Interiors  —  Metsu,  Van  Ostade, 
Jan  Steen,  Wouvermans.  Note  the  humor  and 
satire  in  the  painters  of  genre;  also,  their  minutely 
careful  method. 

2.  Landscapes  and  Marines  —  Cuyp,  Ruysdael, 
Van  der  Velde.  Describe  the  characteristics  of 
the  Dutch  landscape.  Show  pictures  of  cattle 
combined  with  landscape. 

3.  Figures  —  Hals,  Van  der  Heist,  Van  Dyck, 
Rubens.  Tell  the  story  of  Van  Dyck  and  the 
English  court,  and  describe  his  pictures  of  King 
Charles  I.  Note  the  huge  canvases  of  Rubens, 
his  high  colors  and  his  heavy  figures.  Mention 
the  meeting  of  Rubens  and  Velazquez  and  its 
probable  eflFect  on  the  former.  Notice  the  quan- 
tity of  works  attributed  to  Rubens  (1,300  titles 
Smith's  catalogue),  and  discuss  the  likelihood  of 
his  having  produced  all  these  without  help. 

4.  Rembrandt  —  His  history,   style   (light  and 


AND    PROGRAMS  119 

shade),  and  effect  on  painting.  Describe  the  nu- 
merous portraits  of  himself  and  his  wife.  Note  his 
work  as  an  etcher.  Description  of  the  Night  Watch. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Crowe  and  Cavalcaselle: 
Early  Flemish  Paintings.  Max  Rooses:  Dutch 
Painters  of  the  Nineteenth  Century.  Malcolm 
Bell:  Rembrandt  van  Rijn  and  His  Work.  E. 
Dillon :   Rubens. 

The  Dutch  school  was  the  pioneer  of  modern 
landscape-painting;  show  its  influence  on  Con- 
stable and  other  English  artists.  The  Dutch  were 
faithful  illustrators  of  peasant  and  burgher  life, 
and  it  is  interesting  to  make  a  study  of  costume, 
furniture,  and  jewelry  as  shown  by  them.  Take 
up  the  galleries  of  Amsterdam,  The  Hague,  and 
Antwerp,  and  show  photographs  of  Van  Dyck's 
Crucifixion,  and  Rembrandt's  Night  Watch.  At 
Haarlem  there  is  a  small  gallery  noted  for  its 
paintings  by  Franz  Hals,  particularly  The  Syn- 
dics. There  is  a  small  group  of  modern  Dutch 
painters  deserving  of  notice:  Mauve,  the  two 
Marises,  Mesdag,  and  Israels. 

V FRANCE     (part     i) 

1.  Poussin  and  Claude  —  Influence  of  Dom- 
enichino  on  Poussin.     Relation  to  Cardinal  Bar- 


120       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

berini.  Richelieu  and  Louis  XIII.  Influence 
of  Poussin  on  landscape-painting.  Claude's  stud- 
ies in  Italy.  Late  success.  Mythological  and 
Scriptural  subjects.  The  Liber  Veritatis.  Ruskin's 
estimate.  Comparison  with  Turner  in  the  National 
Gallery,  London.  Claude  as  an  etcher.  Hamer- 
ton's  opinion  of  him. 

2.  Court  Painters  and  Others  —  LeBrun.  Pat- 
ronage of  Seguier.  Work  under  Louis  XIV.  and 
Colbert  at  Fontainebleau,  Versailles,  and  Sceaux. 
Watteau,  peintre  des  Fetes  Galantes.  Artificial 
pastoral  scenes.  Reading  from  Pater's  A  Court 
Painter.  Chardin.  Only  painter  of  humble 
life  of  his  time.  Neglect  then;  appreciation 
now.  Why  this  change  in  opinion.'^  Fragonard. 
Relation  to  Chardin.  Greuze.  Names  of  some 
of  his  court  beauties.  Are  they  true  to 
life? 

3.  David  and  Ingres  —  Inspiration  of  the  an- 
tique in  David.  Historical  subjects.  Napoleon 
pictures.     Compare  Ingres  with  David. 

4.  Delaroche,  Gericault,  Delacroix  —  Dela- 
roche's  loyalty  to  classic  traditions  of  painting. 
Pictures  at  Versailles.  Gericault:  His  pictures 
of  nature  and  especially  animals.  Delacroix: 
Connection  of  the  romantic  movement  in  painting 


AND    PROGRAMS  121 

with  that  in  hterature.  Effect  of  Delacroix's  in- 
fluence on  modern  painting. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Sir  Edmund  Head :  Hand- 
book of  the  History  of  the  Spanish  and  French 
Schools  of  Painting.  Lady  Dilke:  French  Paint- 
ers of  the  Eighteenth  Century.  Staley:  Watteau 
and  His  School.  Turner  and  Baker:  Stories  of 
the  French  Artists. 

Have  a  paper  on  The  Influence  of  the  French 
Revolution  on  French  Art.  Before  that,  that 
artificial  and  frivolous  spirit  characterized  the 
work  of  the  painters  as  it  did  the  life  of  the  court, 
for  which  they  largely  did  their  work.  Note  the 
many  pictures  illustrating  the  life  of  Napoleon, 
his  battles,  and  his  victories;  Versailles  is  full 
of  them.  The  enthusiasm  of  patriotism  and  the 
new  national  sense  are  shown  in  this  reaction. 

VI  —  FRANCE     (part     Ii) 

1.  The  Romanticists  —  Followers  of  Delacroix. 
Their  principles.  Dupre,  Isabey,  Jacque,  Corot, 
Daubigny.  Story  of  Corot's  life.  Coloration  and 
style.     Compare  with  Constable. 

2.  The  Barbizon  School  —  Description  of  life 
in  the  Forest  of  Fontainebleau.  Millet.  Country 
life.     Poverty.     Later  appreciations.     The  An- 


122        WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

gelus.    Pictures  in  the  United  States.    Rousseau. 
Diaz.     Cazin. 

3.  The  Impressionists  —  Manet,  Monet,  Degas, 
RafFaelli. 

4.  Pictures  of  Genre  —  Describe  what  is  meant. 
Discuss  the  relative  merits  of  pictures  that  tell 
a  story  and  those  that  merely  give  an  impression. 
Meissonier,  Cabanel,  Baudry,  Rosa  Bonheur, 
Ziem,  Bouguereau,  Constant,  Fromentin,  Jules 
Breton.  Pictures  by  these  painters  in  the  United 
States. 

5.  Painters  of  the  Open  Air  —  The  appreciation 
of  atmosphere  in  French  painting.  Lepage,  Roll, 
Dagnan-Bouveret. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Hourticq:  Art  in  France. 
Theodore  Child:  Some  Modern  French  Painters. 
J.  C.  VanDyke:  Modern  French  Masters.  D. 
Cady  Eaton :  Handbook  of  Modern  French  Paint- 
ing.   C.  Sprague  Smith:   Barbizon  Days. 

The  story  of  the  life  of  the  artist  colony  and 
their  friends  at  Barbizon  would  make  a  delightful 
paper.  Material  of  an  interesting  sort  may  be 
found  in  A  Chronicle  of  Friendships,  by  Will  H. 
Low.  See  also  R.  L.  Stevenson.  Among  the 
great  decorative  artists  of  our  time  is  Puvis  de 
Chavannes.     He  has  one  well-known  painting  in 


AND    PROGRAMS  123 

the  Boston  Public  Library.  Boutet  de  Monvel, 
the  painter  of  children;  Bonnat,  the  portrait- 
painter;  and,  among  the  younger  artists,  Sisley 
may  be  mentioned.  Illustrate  with  photographs 
of  a  Corot  landscape,  Millet's  Angelus,  Meisso- 
nier's  1805,  Rosa  Bonheur's  Horse  Fair,  Jules 
Breton's  Brittany  Pardon,  Lepage's  Joan  of 
Arc,  and  Dagnan-Bouveret's  Madonna. 

VII  —  GERMANY 

1.  German  School  of  the  Reformation  Period  — 
Albrecht  Durer:  Nuremberg.  Court  painter 
to  Charles  V.  Lucas  Cranach:  Court  painter 
to  three  Electors.  Hans  Holbein:  Augsburg. 
Court  painter  to  Henry  VIII.  Drawings  at 
Windsor. 

2.  Munich  School  —  Cornelius,  the  founder. 
Study  in  Rome.  Brought  to  Munich  by  King 
Ludwig.  Kaulbach  (his  cartoons),  Piloty,  De- 
fregger,  Lenbach,  Carl  Stuck,  Plockhorst,  and 
Gabriel  Max,  and  the  religious  painters. 

3.  The  Diisseldorf  School  —  Schadow,  the  chief 
director.  In  Rome  with  Cornelius.  Hubner,  the 
two  Achenbachs,  Carl  Miiller,  Meyer  von  Bremen. 
Pronounced  sentimentalism. 

4.  The  Berlin  School  —  Ludwig  Knaus,  head 


124       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

of  the  Academy;  his  Holy  Family  in  the  Met- 
ropolitan Museum.  Menzel,  Werner,  Carl 
Becker. 

5.  Painters  of  To-day  —  Arnold  von  Bocklin. 
(Photographs.)  Fritz  von  Uhde.  (Photographs.) 
Realism  and  impressionism  in  Germany.  In- 
fluence of  French  art  on  Germany  of  to-day. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Atkinson:  Schools  of 
Modern  Art  in  Germany.  Radcliffe:  Schools  and 
Masters  of  Painting.  K.  Berlin:  Contemporary 
German  Art.  Buxton  and  Poynter:  German, 
Flemish,  and  Dutch  Painting. 

If  there  can  be  one  more  paper  in  this  program, 
it  should  be  on  the  critic  Winckelmann  and  his 
classical  influence.  This  was  shown  particularly 
in  Raphael  Mengs,  in  the  eighteenth  century, 
court  painter  to  the  King  of  Poland,  and  his  pupil, 
Angelica  Kauffmann.  German  art  has  been  in- 
fluenced greatly  by  those  who  have  written  about 
his  philosophy,  Lessing,  Goethe,  the  Schlegels, 
and  others.  Mention  should  be  made  of  Kugler, 
Waagen,  and  Doctor  Bode,  to-day. 

VIII  —  ENGLAND    (pART    l) 

1.  Lely  and  Kneller  —  Story  of  their  lives. 
Their  rank  as  artists.    Lely's  relation  to  the  court 


AND    PROGRAMS  125 

of  Charles  II.  Kneller's  to  that  of  WilHam  and 
Mary.  Similarity  of  the  work  of  the  two  painters. 
The  pictures  of  the  Hampton  Court  beauties  of 
the  time. 

2.  Hogarth  —  Choice  of  subjects  and  manner  of 
treatment.  Influence  of  the  Dutch  school.  Rea- 
sons for  the  great  popularity  of  his  work  among  the 
English.  Historical  value.  Interest  rather  than 
beauty.  Engravings.  Pictures  in  the  British 
Museum. 

3.  Reynolds,  Gainsborough,  and  Romney  —  The 
portrait  painters  of  the  eighteenth  century.  Well- 
known  pictures  of  women  and  children:  the 
Duchess  of  Devonshire,  Cherry  Ripe,  The  Straw- 
berry Girl,  etc.  Reynolds'  school  for  painting. 
Readings  from  his  Discourses. 

4.  Raehurn  and  Wilkie  —  Subjects  from  humble 
life.  The  sentimental  story  as  a  theme.  Scot- 
tish emotionalism  in  art  and  in  literature; 
Wilkie's  Blind  Man's  Buff  and  The  Blind 
Fiddler. 

5.  Constable  —  Great  painter  of  English  land- 
scape. Intense  sympathy  with  his  subject.  Ap- 
preciation of  the  artistic  value  of  mists,  clouds, 
and  showers.  Effect  on  modern  French  landscape 
painters.     Great  commercial  value  of  Constable's 


126       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

pictures  to-day.  Paintings  in  the  National  Gal- 
lery, at  South  Kensington  and  in  the  Metropolitan 
Museum. 

6.  Turner  —  Greatest  English  landscape 
painter.  Strange  story  of  his  life.  His  eccentrici- 
ties. Style  of  his  painting.  Comparison  with 
Claude  and  Poussin.  Unfortunate  choice  of 
pigments  and  consequent  fading  of  his  pictures. 
Readings  from  Ruskin's  Modern  Painters. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Gleeson  White:  Master 
Painters  of  Britain.  Spielmann:  British  Portrait 
Painting  to  the  Closing  of  the  XIX  Century. 
Allan  Cunningham:  Lives  of  the  Most  Emi- 
nent British  Painters  and  Sculptors.  Horace 
Walpole:  Anecdotes  of  Painting  in  Eng- 
land. 

This  program  is  so  full  that  it  may  easily  be 
divided  between  two  meetings.  Notice  beside  the 
artists  mentioned  those  of  less  distinction:  Sir 
Thomas  Lawrence,  the  portrait  painter  belonging 
to  the  Reynolds  school;  Blake,  the  mystical 
and  symbolical  artist  who  influenced  the  later 
pre-Raphaelites;  and  Landseer,  the  painter  of 
animals  (who  may  be  compared  with  Rosa  Bon- 
heur).  Illustrate  the  paper  with  photographs  as 
far  as  possible. 


AND    PROGRAMS  127 

IX  —  ENGLAND      (pART     II) 

1.  The  Pre-Raphaelites  —  Their  origin  and  prin- 
ciples: sincerity  and  truth  to  nature.  Holman 
Hunt:  Light  of  the  World;  The  Triumph  of 
the  Innocents.  Dante  Gabriel  Rossetti:  Ecce 
Ancilla  Domini;  Beata  Beatrix.  Photographs 
of  these  pictures  may  be  shown,  and  those  who 
have  seen  them  may  give  their  impression  of 
them. 

2.  The  Academicians  —  Sir  Frederick  Leigh- 
ton,  Sir  J.  E.  Millais  and  his  desertion  of 
the  Pre-Raphaelites,  G.  F.  Watts,  Sir  Alma 
Tadema,  Frank  Dicksee,  Sir  E.  J.  Poynter, 
Sir  Luke  Fildes,  Sir  Hubert  von  Herkomer, 
Sir  W.  Q.  Orchardson.  In  this  connection 
there  may  be  a  reading  from  Herkomer's 
memoir. 

3.  The  Independents  —  Sir  E.  Burne- Jones. 
Solomon  J.  Solomon.  Maurice  Grieffenhagen. 
Mortimer  Menpes.  J.  Byam  Shaw.  The  in- 
fluence of  French  painting  on  England  is  inter- 
esting to  trace. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Ruskin :  Modern  Paint- 
ers. Holman  Hunt:  History  of  Pre-Raphaelitism. 
Gleeson    White:     Master    Painters    of    Britain. 


128       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Cosmo  Monkhouse:    British  Contemporary  Art- 
ists. 

Ford  Madox-Brown,who  has  not  been  mentioned 
in  the  program,  should  be  mentioned  if  there 
is  time.  The  articles  in  various  current  magazines 
by  Ford  Madox-Brown  Hueffer,  dealing  with  the 
men  of  the  Pre-Raphaelite  school,  are  full  of  in- 
cident and  humor.  The  poems  of  Dante  Gabriel 
Rossetti  and  his  sister,  Christina,  should  i^e  no- 
ticed and  several  of  them  read.  Rossetti's  wife 
w^as  the  model  for  many  Pre-Raphaelite  pictures. 
She  might  be  described  and  the  story  told  of 
her  death  and  the  burial  with  her  of  her 
husband's  poems,  subsequently  exhumed  and 
published. 

X  —  AMERICA 

1.  Early  Painters  —  Copley,  Gilbert  Stuart, 
West,  and  Trumbull. 

2.  The  Hudson  River  School  —  Kensett,  Crop- 
sey,  Church,  Bierstadt.  Influence  of  Dusseldorf 
and  Munich  on  these  painters. 

3.  Whistler  and  La  Farge  —  French  influence 
on  American  painters.  Whistler's  portrait  of  his 
mother.  Controversy  with  Ruskin.  Story  of  the 
libel  suit.     Why  is  Whistler's  appeal  not  more 


AND    PROGRAMS  129 

popular?  La  Farge's  picture  of  the  Ascension  of 
Christ.  Japanese  and  oceanic  sketches.  Mural 
paintings  in  public  buildings.  La  Farge  as  a 
colorist  and  decorator. 

4.  Sargent  and  Abbey  —  Sargent's  style.  Fa- 
mous portraits.  Decorations  for  Boston  Library. 
Abbey's  illustrations  of  Shakespeare.  Story  of 
the  Holy  Grail.  Coronation  picture  of  Edward 
VII. 

5.  Characteristic  Groups  —  Landsca.pe:  Inness, 
Troyon,  Wyant.  Marines:  W.  T.  Richards,  de 
Haas,  Rehn.  Figures  (genre):  Winslow  Homer, 
Abbott  H.  Thayer,  Geo.  de  Forest  Brush.  Por- 
traits: Eastman  Johnson,  W.  M.  Chase,  John 
Alexander,  Cecilia  Beaux. 

Books  to  Consult  —  C.  H.  Caffin :  American 
Masters  of  Painting.  Samuel  Isham:  History  of 
American  Painting.  J.  W.  McSpadden:  Famous 
Painters  in  America.  H.  T.  Tuckerman:  Artist 
Life  (1847). 

Take  up  the  consideration  of  the  leading  art 
galleries  of  America,  the  Metropolitan  Museum  in 
New  York,  the  Museum  of  Fine  Arts  in  Boston, 
the  Corcoran  Gallery  in  Washington,  and  the 
Art  Institute  in  Chicago;  also  the  new  galleries 
in  Detroit,  BufiFalo,  Dayton,  and  other  cities.    No- 


130       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

tice  the  famous  mural  paintings  in  State  capitols, 
city  halls,  and  the  high  schools  of  New  York 
and  those  of  the  Congressional  Library  in  Wash- 
ington. 


AND    PROGRAMS  131 


CHAPTER  IX 

Ten  American  Women  Writers 

introductory 

This  popular  program  is  given  for  those  clubs 
who  wish  something  hght  and  attractive  for  their 
year's  work.  The  subject  is  taken  up  topically, 
and  the  leading  writers  only  are  given;  to  those 
names  may  be  added  as  many  more  as  are  desired. 
To  enlarge  the  field,  add  the  names  of  women 
poets,  essayists,  and  miscellaneous  writers,  and 
take  Woman  in  American  Literature  for  the  sub- 
ject. See  R.  P.  Halleck's  recent  book  on  American 
Literature.  Or  use  the  one  topic  of  Our  Short- 
Story  Writers,  and  have  that  cover  as  many 
meetings  as  programs  are  needed. 

I  —  historical  novels 

Jane  G.  Austin  used  the  theme  of  Colonial 
days  most  successfully.  She  was  saturated  with 
the  spirit  of  the  time,  and  no  one  can  read  Stan- 
dish  of  Standish,  or  Betty  Alden  without  feeling 


132       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

in  sympathy  with  the  Puritans,  their  romance 
and  hardships.  Read  from  either  of  these,  or  from 
David  Alden's  Daughter. 

Maud  Wilder  Goodwin  writes,  in  a  dehghtfully 
breezy  style,  of  life  among  the  Colonial  Cavaliers, 
and  her  White  Aprons  and  The  Head  of  a  Hun- 
dred are  fascinating;  they  follow  well  the  books 
just  suggested  for  the  first  meeting.  Read  from 
either  of  the  two  named. 

Amelia  E.  Barr,  though  born  in  England,  be- 
longs among  American  writers.  She  has  no  less 
than  sixty  novels  to  her  credit.  Her  theme  has 
been  largely  of  the  early  days  in  New  York,  and 
The  Belie  of  Bowling  Green,  The  Maid  of  Maiden 
Lane,  and  The  Bow  of  Orange  Ribbon  are  all  ex- 
cellent. Among  her  other  books  are  Jan  Vedder's 
Wife  and  The  Black  Shilling.  Read  from  The 
Bow  of  Orange  Ribbon. 

Mary  Johnston  has  covered  a  large  historical 
field.  Beginning  in  the  early  days  of  Virginia,  she 
took  the  settling  of  Jamestown  in  Prisoners  of 
Hope  and  To  Have  and  To  Hold;  both  these 
are  of  absorbing  interest,  and  have  remarkable 
pictures  of  the  Indians  of  the  time.  Then  comes 
Lewis  Rand  and  the  settling  of  the  Northwest, 
and  then  The  Long  Roll,  about  our  Civil  War. 


AND    PROGRAMS  133 

All  her  work  is  done  in  a  careful  painstaking- 
way,  and  is  distinctly  dramatic.  Read  from  To 
Have  and  To  Hold. 

Add  to  these  the  books  of  Mary  Catherwood, 
about  Canada,  and  those  of  Beulah  Marie  Dix, 
who  has  used  the  wars  of  Cromwell  largely  as  her 
theme;   both  writers  are  among  our  best. 

II STORIES   OF    ROMANCE   AND    MYSTERY 

Bertha  Runkle's  The  Helmet  of  Navarre  may 
perhaps  stand  at  the  very  head  of  our  roman- 
tic novels,  for  its  wonderfully  vivid  representation 
of  life  and  adventure  in  Paris  under  her  famous 
hero.  It  is  all  the  more  remarkable  because  it 
was  the  author's  first  book,  and  written  when  she 
was  only  a  girl.     Read  the  closing  chapter. 

Amelie  Rives,  now  the  Princess  Troubetzkoy, 
has  several  romantic  novels,  notably  The  Quick 
or  the  Dead  and  A  Brother  to  Dragons,  both 
wi'itten  in  an  intense,  dramatic  way;  her  Vir- 
ginia of  Virginia,  while  different,  is  no  less  fas- 
cinating. Her  books  have  the  setting  of  the 
South.    Read  from  the  last. 

Molly  Elliot  Seawell  has  written  a  great  num- 
ber of  books,  all  carefully  done  and  of  great  vari- 
ety of  subjects.    Her  Sprightly  Romance  of  Mar- 


134       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

sac,  which  took  a  three-thousand-dollar  prize  and 
is  as  gay  as  its  title  indicates,  has  for  its  foils  the 
more  serious  The  House  of  Egremont  and  Mid- 
shipman Paulding.     Read  from  the  first. 

Anna  Katherine  Green  has  many  books  about 
the  detection  of  crime,  with  complicated  plots. 
Her  The  Leavenworth  Case  is  her  best  book; 
others  are  The  Mill  Mystery,  Behind  Closed 
Doors,  and  The  Filigree  Ball.  Read  from  The 
Leavenworth  Case. 

Ill  —  STORIES  OF  LIFE  PROBLEMS 

The  greatest  problem  novel  ever  written  by  a 
woman  was  Uncle  Tom's  Cabin,  by  Harriet 
Beecher  Stowe.  Clubs  should  give  at  least  one 
meeting  to  this  book,  studying  the  times,  the 
character  of  the  author  and  her  training,  as  the 
causes  which  led  to  its  writing;  notice  also  the 
effect  of  the  book  upon  the  nation.  It  has  passed 
into  many  other  languages  than  ours,  and  has  a 
world-wide  fame. 

Mrs.  Stowe  also  wrote  another  book  with  a 
great  theme,  The  Minister's  Wooing,  of  early 
Colonial  days  and  the  power  of  Calvinism  in 
the  lives  of  the  people.  Read  from  both  these 
books. 


AND    PROGRAMS  135 

Elizabeth  Stuart  Phelps  (Mrs.  Ward)  began  her 
work  at  nineteen  with  The  Gates  Ajar,  suggested 
by  the  sorrow  of  the  Civil  War;  this  had  a 
phenomenal  success.  From  that  time  on  she 
wrote  steadily,  and  each  novel  had  a  problem  to 
present,  set  out  with  strong  emotion.  A  Singu- 
lar Life  is  one  of  her  best,  and  The  Story  of 
Avis,  Doctor  Zay,  and  The  Confessions  of  a  Wife 
are  all  deeply  interesting.  Read  from  the  first 
two. 

Margaret  Deland  has  taken  up  the  problems 
of  life  in  her  books  with  sympathy,  humor  and  a 
certain  wise  and  tender  philosophy.  Her  stories 
of  Old  Chester,  its  delightful  people,  with  their 
strongly  marked  characteristics,  and  the  rector. 
Dr.  Lavendar,  who  is  one  of  the  most  charming 
delineations  ever  drawn,  are  all  known  to-day  to 
women  readers.  Her  best  novels  follow  the  lines 
of  her  other  stories,  but  there  is  a  power  in  The 
Awakening  of  Helena  Richie  and  in  The  Iron 
Woman  not  in  the  short  stories.  Read  from 
Old  Chester  Tales. 

rV  —  STORIES    OF   SOCIETY   AND   ITS    PROBLEMS 

Edith  Wharton  studied  the  problems  of  society 
in    a    great   city   in  her  The   House  of   Mirth, 


136       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

drawing  a  faithful  if  somewhat  painful  picture. 
The  Fruit  of  the  Tree  and  The  Valley  of  Decision 
present  other  phases  of  social  life.  Her  books  are 
well  planned  and  well  written,  with  a  noticeably 
subtle  touch.     Read  from  The  House  of  Mirth. 

Gertrude  Atherton  also  writes  of  society's 
problems,  but  in  quite  another  manner.  The 
Aristocrats  and  Ancestors  have  a  distinctly 
satiric  flavor.  In  addition  to  these  she  has 
others  in  quite  another  vein,  The  Doomswoman, 
and  The  Conqueror  notably. 

John  Oliver  Hobbes  (Mrs.  Craigie)  has  some 
exquisite  little  books,  read  by  few,  perhaps,  be- 
cause of  their  peculiar  style.  She  wrote  The 
School  for  Saints,  The  Herb  Moon,  and  The 
Flute  of  Pan.  Her  problems  are  rather  involved 
and  somewhat  attenuated,  but  on  the  whole 
beautifully  done.    Read  from  The  Herb  Moon. 

V  —  STORIES   OF   nUMOR   AND    PATHOS 

Ruth  McEnery  Stuart's  early  life  was  spent 
in  Louisiana,  and  there  she  learned  to  know  the 
plantation  negro  at  first  hand.  No  one  has 
equaled  her  in  her  presentation  of  his  character, 
with  its  dependence  and  childlike  drollery.  Her 
appreciation    of   his   humor   is   no   less   marked 


AND    PROGRAMS  137 

than  of  his  unconscious  pathos.  Read  from  A 
Golden  Wedding,  Moriah's  Mourning,  and  The 
River's  Children.  In  Sonny,  one  of  her  love- 
liest books,  she  has  taken  a  poor  white  as  her 
hero. 

Alice  Hegan  Rice  made  a  large  place  for  her- 
self when  she  wrote  Mrs.  Wiggs  of  the  Cabbage 
Patch.  She  found  that  unusual  thing,  a  new 
setting  for  a  story,  and  drew  a  unique  heroine  in 
Mrs.  Wiggs.  Read  from  this  and  its  sequel, 
Lovey  Mary. 

Kate  Douglas  Wiggin  (Mrs.  Riggs)  has  several 
gay  stories,  a  brief  series  about  Penelope  in  Eng- 
land and  Scotland,  and  A  Cathedral  Courtship, 
quite  as  amusing.  Her  Rebecca  of  Sunnybrook 
Farm  is  also  full  of  bright  sayings.  In  The 
Birds*  Christmas  Carol  she  mingles  humor  and 
pathos.    Read  from  Penelope's  Progress. 

Myra  Kelly  found  in  a  public  school  among  the 
poor  foreigners  of  New  York's  East  Side  material 
for  her  best  book.  Little  Citizens.  It  is  written 
with  a  keen  appreciation  of  their  amusing  ways 
and  sayings,  and  of  sympathy  with  them.  A 
chapter  taken  at  random  will  prove  delightful 
reading. 

Carolyn  Wells  is  well  known  as  the  author  of  the 


138       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

wittiest  of  verses;  but  she  has  also  some  books 
no  less  attractive.  A  Matrimonial  Bureau,  At  the 
Sign  of  the  Sphinx,  and  The  Gordon  Elopement 
(collaborated)  are  filled  with  freakish  situations 
and  clever  sayings.    Read  from  the  first. 

In  addition  to  these,  clubs  may  read  Anne 
Warner's  The  Rejuvenation  of  Aunt  Mary, 
Margaret  Cameron's  The  Involuntary  Chap- 
eron, and  others;  see  also  the  humorist  of  several 
decades  ago,  Marietta  Holley,  and  her  books  on 
Samantha  Allen. 

VI  —  STORIES   OF   DOMESTIC   LIFE 

Mary  Stewart  Cutting  has  been  a  most  success- 
ful writer  of  short  stories  about  ordinary  home 
life.  She  is  marvelously  true  to  facts,  but  puts 
them  in  a  fresh  and  humorous  way.  Her  Little 
Stories  of  Courtship  and  Little  Stories  of 
Married  Life  show  us  people  we  all  know.  Her 
longer  stories,  The  Unforeseen  and  The  Way- 
farers, have  the  same  good  sense,  the  same  bright 
way  of  treating  difficulties.  Choose  selections 
from  her  first  two  books. 

Ellen  Olney  Kirk  writes  in  a  quiet  style  of 
delightful  people  who  lead  uneventful  lives.  Her 
books  are  not  new  to-day,  but  they  are  always 


AND   PROGRAMS  139 

interesting.  Select  from  The  Story  of  Margaret 
Kent  or  Marcia. 

Alice  Brown  depicts  home  life  in  New  England, 
but  always  introduces  the  element  of  the  unusual, 
either  in  plot  or  characters.  There  is  a  certain 
strength  about  all  she  does.  Read  from  Meadow- 
Grass  or  The  Country  Road. 

Kathleen  Norris  has  written  a  deeply  moving 
story  called  Mother;  it  tells  the  story  of  a 
family  of  ordinary  parents  and  children  with 
marvelous  fidelity  to  the  commonplaceness  of 
their  lives,  but  it  is  a  picture  of  tenderness  and 
an  appreciation  of  what  a  real  mother  is  and  does. 

Margaret  E.  Sangster's  Eastover  Parish  is  a 
charming  study  from  real  life. 

VII  —  STORIES    OF    CHILDREN   AND    YOUNG    PEOPLE 

Louisa  M.  Alcott's  Little  Women  is  a  master- 
piece. No  one  has  ever  been  able  to  write  any- 
thing so  fresh,  so  natural,  and  so  wholesome. 
Her  later  books,  especially  Little  Men  and 
Old-Fashioned  Girl,  are  rather  in  the  same 
vein,  though  not  the  equal  of  Little  Women. 
Read  any  favorite  chapter. 

Mary  Mapes  Dodge's  greatest  literary  success 
was  a  book  for  boys,  Hans  Brinker,  or  the  Silver 


140       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Skates,  a  fascinating  story  of  Holland.  It  has 
been  translated  into  five  languages.  Read  the 
"  race  "  from  it. 

Frances  H.  Burnett  had  written  excellent 
books  for  grown  people,  like  That  Lass  o'  Low- 
ries,  and  others,  before  her  Little  Lord  Faunt- 
leroy  appeared  and  had  instant  popularity. 
Her  other  children's  books  were  mostly  fairy- 
tales and  simple  stories.    Read  from  Fauntleroy. 

Laura  E.  Richards  has  many  books  for  girls, 
written  with  humor  and  much  sensible  suggestion, 
the  latter  well  hidden.  The  Three  Margarets, 
Margaret  Montfort,  and  the  Hildegarde  stories 
are  all  attractive,  but  Captain  January  is  most 
original;    read  from  this. 

Josephine  Daskam  Bacon  writes  amusingly  of 
both  children  and  parents.  Her  Memoirs  of  a 
Baby  and  When  Caroline  Was  Growing  are  both 
worth  reading. 

Elizabeth  Jordan  has  struck  a  new  note  in  her 
stories  of  convent  life.  May  Iverson,  Her  Book 
and  its  sequel  are  full  of  the  absurdities  of 
growing  girls.  Read  any  of  the  amusing 
chapters. 

Clubs  should  make  a  special  study  of  some  of 
the  older  writers  for  girls,  especially  Sophie  May, 


AND    PROGRAMS  141 

Mrs.  A.  D.  T.  Whitney,  and  Susan  Coolidge. 
Notice  also  the  excellent  work  of  Annie  Fellows 
Johnston,  Kate  Bosher,  and  Inez  Haynes  Gilmore, 
and  read  from  their  books. 

VIII  —  STORIES   OF   LOCAL   TYPES 

Some  of  our  women  writers  have  used  the  people 
of  one  locality  only,  or  at  least  principally;  this 
group  may  be  divided  into  two  programs. 

Helen  Hunt  Jackson,  known  best  as  a  poet, 
or  as  the  author  of  little  essays,  has  one  strong 
book,  Ramona.  It  is  notable  not  only  for  its 
plea  for  justice  to  the  Indians,  but  also  for  its 
description  of  life  in  Southern  California  on  re- 
mote ranches. 

Constance  Fenimore  Woolson  wrote  largely 
of  Florida,  its  everglades,  its  orange-groves,  its 
pine  barrens.    Read  from  East  Angels. 

Mary  Hallock  Foote  used  the  scene  of  the 
early  mining-camps  as  her  theme,  and  has 
vivid  pictures  of  life  and  romance  there.  Read 
from  The  Led  Horse  Claim  or  The  Chosen 
Valley. 

Charles  Egbert  Craddock  (Mary  Murfree)  has 
laid  her  plots  in  the  Tennessee  mountains.  Her 
heroes    are    sturdy,  uncouth,  picturesque   moun- 


142       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

taineers,  and  her  books  are  noted  for  the  de- 
scriptions of  scenery.  Read  from  The  Prophet 
of  the  Great  Smoky  Mountain  or  In  the 
Clouds. 

Grace  E.  King  writes  of  the  hfe  of  the  Creoles 
in  New  Orleans.  In  her  Balcony  Stories  and 
Monsieur  Motte  we  have  the  fragrance  and  the 
languor  of  the  South.    Read  a  Balcony  story. 

Sarah  Orne  Jewett  was  one  of  the  first  to  choose 
New  England  as  her  field  of  work.  Her  style  is 
peculiarly  delicate  and  refined.  She  wrote  of  the 
people  with  truth  and  sympathy,  without  a  touch 
of  satire.  A  White  Heron  and  The  Country  of 
the  Pointed  Firs  are  among  her  beautiful  stories; 
read  from  the  latter. 

Ellen  Glasgow  has  laid  the  scenes  of  her  stories 
in  the  South,  largely  in  Virginia.  Her  themes 
are  unusual  and  worked  out  in  a  broad,  unhurried 
way.  The  Voice  of  the  People,  The  Deliverance, 
The  Battle-Ground,  and  Ancient  Law  are  all 
worth  reading.    Select  from  The  Deliverance. 

Helen  Martin  in  Tillie,  A  Mennonite  Maid 
and  Elsie  Singmaster  in  several  stories  have 
both  taken  the  quaint  Pennsylvania  Dutch  to 
write  of,  with  their  remoteness  of  life  from  the 
world. 


AND    PROGRAMS  143 


IX SHORT    STORIES 

Of  late  years,  short  stories,  largely  written  by 
women,  have  crowded  our  magazines.  It  is 
impossible  to  choose  more  than  a  few  for  a  pro- 
gram, but  club-women  may  add  to  those  suggested 
all  their  favorites,  and  bring  in  short  stories  to 
read  at  one  meeting.  In  addition  to  the  older 
writers,  Rebecca  Harding  Davis,  Harriet  Fres- 
co tt   SpofFord,    and    others,    take   the   following: 

Mary  E.  Wilkins  Freeman,  though  the  author  of 
several  novels,  is  perhaps  our  greatest  short-story 
writer.  Her  characters,  especially  those  drawn 
from  New  England  rural  life,  are  reproduced  with 
marvelous  fidelity.  She  understands  their  foibles, 
their  oddities,  and  writes  of  them  with  fidelity 
and  humor.  A  New  England  Nun  is  called  her 
best  book;   read  any  story  from  it. 

Mary  Raymond  Shipman  Andrews,  the  author 
of  The  Ferfect  Tribute  as  well  as  many  stories 
of  a  lighter  character,  writes  charmingly. 

Margarita  Spalding  Gerry  in  The  Toy  Shop 
has  something  really  unusual,  both  in  theme  and 
treatment. 

Octave  Thanet  (Alice  French)  vivaciously  rep- 
resents plain  people;  her  Missionary  Sheriff  and 


144       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Stories  of  a  Western  Town  are  well  known;  read 
from  either. 

Add  to  these  names  those  already  given  under 
other  heads  for  this  outline:  Sarah  Orne  Jewett, 
Alice  Brown,  and  Mrs.  Cutting. 

As  has  already  been  suggested,  the  year's  work 
may  be  expanded  into  a  complete  study  of  Ameri- 
can women  writers.  If  this  is  done,  begin  with 
those  of  early  years:  Lydia  Maria  Child  and 
Margaret  Fuller;  add  to  them  our  essayists, 
Helen  Hunt  Jackson,  Agnes  Repplier,  Vida 
Scudder;  our  poets,  the  Cary  sisters,  Julia  Ward 
Howe,  Lucy  Larcom,  Emily  Dickinson,  Edith 
Thomas,  Celia  Thaxter,  May  Riley  Smith,  Ella 
Wheeler  Wilcox,  Emma  Lazarus,  Helen  Hunt 
Jackson,  and  Josephine  Preston  Peabody,  and 
Anna  Branch,  and  our  miscellaneous  writers,  who 
have  written  biography,  essays,  stories,  and  prac- 
tical books:  Alice  Morse  Earle,  Marion  Harland, 
Kate  Upson  Clark,  Mary  Heaton  Vorse,  and  Mar- 
garet E.  Sangster.  Women  journalists  might  also 
be  an  additional  subject,  and  women  editors,  to 
cover  the  entire  field  of  women  in  letters. 


AND    PROGRAMS  145 


CHAPTER  X 

Town  Improvement 
i  —  our  local  conditions 

1.  The  Value  of  Public  Sentiment  and  Co- 
operation —  Rise  in  values  as  a  town  improves; 
what  an  enthusiast  can  accomplish. 

2.  Our  Water-Supply  —  Detailed  description : 
water-system,  wells,  cisterns,  etc.;  quality  of  the 
supply;  lunitations,  dangers,  and  possibility  of 
improvement. 

3.  Our  Sanitation  —  Detailed  description:  cess- 
pools;  garbage;   disposal  of  sewage. 

4.  Our  Yards,  Our  Streets,  Our  Parks,  Our 
Public  Buildings  —  Tree-planting;  fences;  city 
fountains. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Patrick  Geddes :  City  De- 
velopment. C.  M.  Robinson:  The  Improvement 
of  Towns  and  Cities.  W.  P.  Mason :  Water  Sup- 
ply (from  the  Sanitary  Standpoint) .  Shade  Trees : 
Their  Care  and  Preservation  (N.  Y.  State  Cornell 
Agricultural  Experiment  Station  Bulletin  256). 


146       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

The  town  water-supply  has  unmense  interest; 
study  its  relation  to  the  disposal  of  sewage;  the 
ice-supply,  the  use  of  filters,  bottled  water,  and 
the  like.  Cleaning  up  and  beautifying  the  back 
yards  of  a  town,  planting  vines,  removing  un- 
sightly buildings,  making  gardens  and  having 
window-boxes  may  be  expanded  into  more  than 
one  paper.  The  village  common,  the  drinking- 
fountains,  the  band-stand,  the  use  of  refuse-boxes 
in  public  places,  may  be  discussed. 

II  —  THE  WORKING  -  PEOPLE's  HOMES 

1.  Existing  Conditions  —  The  various  subjects 
of  air,  light,  water-supply,  sanitation  and  ade- 
quate fire-escapes  may  be  brought  up  for  care- 
ful consideration. 

2.  The  Model  Tenement  —  Plans,  profit  to  the 
owner  of  tenement  property,  management,  rules 
for  tenants  (cleanliness,  promptness  of  payment), 
beautification  of  tenements  (window-boxes,  roof- 
gardens),   playgrounds. 

3.  Model  Cottage  Homes  —  Possibility  of  ac- 
quiring ownership  (building-and-loan  associations, 
thrift  clubs).  Improving  laboring-men's  homes  in 
villages.     Yards  for  children. 

4.  The  Garden  Cities  of  England  —  ('ompare  the 


AND    PROGKAMS  147 

Sage  Foundation  proposals  in  America.  Model 
towns  (Pullman  in  this  country,  Essen  in  Ger- 
many, etc.). 

Books  to  Consult  —  Gould :  Housing  of  the 
Working  People  (U.  S.  Labor  Dept.).  Manning: 
Villages  for  Working  Men  and  Working-Men's 
Homes.  R.  W.  DeForest  and  others:  The  Tene- 
rnent-House  Problem.  F.  C.  Moore:  How  To 
Build  a  Home. 

Discuss  the  subject  of  the  model  towns.  How 
satisfactory  do  the  tenants  find  the  system  of 
leases  and  regulations?  Show  pictures  of  the 
Garden  Cities  of  England  and  the  model  tene- 
ments of  Berlin.  Take  up  the  merits  of  building- 
and-loan  associations  and  buying  homes  on  the 
instalment  plan.  Shall  we  employ  an  architect 
for  the  small  home,  or  are  published  plans  prac- 
tical .f* 

III  —  FACTORIES   AND   WORKSHOPS 

1.  The  Industrial  Age  —  The  introduction  of 
labor-saving  machinery  in  England  in  the  eight- 
eenth century.  Enormous  development  in  the 
present  day.  General  effect  on  the  laboring 
class. 

2.  The    Factory    System    and    Human    Life  — 


148       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Overcrowding,  and  lack  of  air  and  light.  Unpro- 
tected machinery.  Danger  of  fire.  Inadequate 
fire-escapes  and  exits.  Bad  sanitation.  The 
sweat-shop.  Monotony  of  tasks  and  overlong 
hours  of  work.  The  labor  of  women.  Child 
labor. 

3.  Model  Conditions  in  Factory  Life  —  The 
building:  air,  light,  sanitation,  space,  protection. 
The  eight-hour  day:  a  living  wage.  Insurance 
against  accident,  old  age,  and  death.  The  lunch- 
room.   The  factory  doctor. 

4.  Local  Ideals  —  Conferences  with  employees. 
The  cultivation  of  social  sentiment  in  the  em- 
ploying class.  Beautifying  the  factory  grounds. 
Associations  among  employees:  recreation,  social, 
mutual  benefit.  Holidays  and  Sundays.  The 
children  in  factory  homes. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Clarke :  Effects  of  the 
Factory  System.  Spahr:  America's  Working 
People.  Wright:  The  Factory  System  as  an 
Element  in  Social  Life. 

At  this  meeting  there  should  be  a  presentation 
of  the  fine  conditions  existing  in  certain  great 
manufactories  and  publishing-plants  where  the 
employers  and  the  employed  are  working  for  the 
same  high  ends;  pictures  may  be  shown  of  gardens. 


AND    PROGRAMS  149 

recreation-grounds,  lunch-rooms  and  the  like; 
abundant  material  may  be  found  in  various  maga- 
zine articles.  The  question  of  old-age  pensions 
should  be  discussed.  A  practical  outcome  of  this 
meeting  may  be  the  appointing  of  a  permanent 
committee  to  better  local  conditions. 

IV  —  PUBLIC    SCHOOLS 

1.  The  Place  of  the  Public  School  in  American 
Life  —  Beginning  of  the  public  school  in  colonial 
days.  Relation  of  the  school  to  citizenship.  Na- 
tional sentiment.  The  flag  and  the  school.  The 
public  school  and  the  foreign  child. 

2.  The  Modern  Curriculum  —  Multiplication 
of  subjects  (manual  training,  cooking,  sewing, 
music,  etc.).  A  discussion  of  the  merits  of  the 
system:    thoroughness  versus  variety. 

3.  The  Ideal  Public  School  —  The  model  di- 
rector. Women  on  school  boards.  The  perfect 
schoolhouse;  light,  air,  sanitation,  room.  Beauti- 
fying the  school  within  and  without;  pictures, 
casts,  flowers,  etc.  The  school  doctor;  conta- 
gious diseases,  oversight  of  eyes,  ears,  throat, 
and  teeth.  Social  service  of  the  school:  night- 
schools,  lectures,  recreations. 

4.  Parent  and  Teacher  —  Mutual  acquaintance. 


150       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Conferences.  Literary  clubs.  Is  the  public  ex- 
hibition desirable? 

5.  School  Sentiment  —  Interscholastic  athlet- 
ics and  debates.  The  alumni  association.  The 
commencement  exercises  and  annual  banquet. 
The  return  of  distinguished  graduates. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Dewey:  The  School  and 
Society.  Butler:  The  Meaning  of  Education. 
The  International  Educational  Series.  Reports 
of  the  United  States  Commissioner  of  Edu- 
cation. 

A  discussion  may  be  planned  on  home  work: 
How  much  shall  be  expected  and  arranged  for  by 
the  parent .f*  When  is  it  best  doncf^  Emphasize  the 
importance  of  having  the  parent  closely  in  touch 
with  the  child's  work,  familiar  with  his  reports, 
and  constantly  in  conference  with  the  teacher. 
Notice  the  importance  of  the  work  of  the  truant 
oflficer.  If  there  is  no  gymnasium  provided  by  the 
school,  can  the  parents  combine  and  make  one.f^ 
In  a  large  city,  can  there  be  a  roof-garden  for  rec- 
reation? 

V  —  AMUSEMENTS    OF   THE   TOWN 

1.  Necessity  of  Recreation  —  Change  in  our 
point  of  view:    the  old  ideas  contrasted  with  the 


AND   PROGRAMS  151 

new.  Read  from  the  chapter  on  Recreation  in 
Adeney's  A  Century's  Progress  in  Rehgious  Life 
and  Thought.  Recreation  and  morals.  Substi- 
tutes for  the  social  life  of  the  corner  grocery  and 
the  saloon. 

2.  Planning  Recreations  —  Organizing  a  local 
committee.  The  grange,  the  lyceum,  the  town 
band  or  orchestra,  motion  pictures. 

Discuss  the  disadvantage  of  unregulated  amuse- 
ments, and  their  improvement  through  intelligent 
control. 

3.  The  Regular  Program  —  Illustrated  lectures, 
concerts,  village-improvement  meetings,  athletic 
meets  for  men,   the  women's  club. 

4.  Occasional  Amusements  —  Loan  exhibitions 
of  pictures,  antiques,  etc.,  organ  recitals,  flower 
fetes,  amateur  theatricals,  excursions,  neighbor- 
hood dances. 

5.  Ideals  in  Recreation  —  The  ideal  of  demo- 
cratic sociability.  The  ideal  of  culture.  The 
ideal  of  healthful  interest  for  young  people.  The 
ideal  of  clean  amusement. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Luther  H.  Gulick:  Pop- 
ular Recreation  and  Public  Morality  (Sage  Found- 
ation). Hartt:  The  People  at  Play.  W.  S. 
Jevons:  Amusements  of  the  People. 


152       WOMAN'S    CLUB   WORK 

This  is  one  of  the  most  important  programs  of 
the  year,  and  deserves  special  preparation  and 
study. 

The  modern  tendency  is  to  plan  everywhere  for 
clean,  wholesome  amusements  for  old  and  young, 
and  the  woman's  club  can  cooperate  with  the 
mayor,  school  trustees,  and  intelligent  men  and 
women,  to  carry  out  their  plans. 

Discuss  especially  what  has  been  done  to  pro- 
vide a  substitute  for  the  attractions  of  the  saloon; 
the  dangers  and  the  value  of  the  moving-picture 
show,  and  how  far  there  may  be  a  public  senti- 
ment created  for  the  regulation  of  these  and 
other  amusements. 

VI  —  THE   TOWN   CHILDREN 

1.  Town  versus  Country  for  Children  —  Dis- 
cussion of  the  advantages  and  the  disadvantages 
of  each.  How  to  make  the  most  of  town  life  for 
children. 

2.  Outdoor  Occupations  —  Gardens  for  chil- 
dren. Games.  Athletics.  Riding  and  walking 
parties,  picnics,  etc.  Study  of  birds.  Nature 
classes  (butterflies,  etc.). 

3.  Indoor  Occupations  —  Classes  in  carpentry, 
weaving,  and  sewing.     Musical  classes,  the  chil- 


AND    PROGRAMS  153 

dren's  chorus,  the  children's  orchestra.  Panto- 
mimes, plays,  and  dances. 

4.  Public  Provision  for  Children  —  Museums  for 
children.  Public  playgrounds.  The  children's  room 
in  the  public  library.  Exhibitions  of  pictures  for 
children.    Illustrated  lectures  in  the  public  school. 

Books  to  Consult  —  G.  Stanley  Hall:  Ed- 
ucational Problems.  L.  H.  Gulick:  Children 
of  the  Century.  Mangold:  Child  Problems. 
Jekyll:   Children  and  Gardens. 

Women's  clubs  should  definitely  interest  them- 
selves in  the  children  of  the  city  or  country,  and 
do  for  them  what  is  not  done  by  the  public.  The 
value  of  playgrounds  and  gardens  in  cities,  and  of 
children's  classes  in  sloyd  or  manual  training  in  the 
country,  cannot  be  overestimated.  Musical  train- 
ing is  also  valuable,  not  merely  for  its  esthetic  re- 
sults; and  children's  choruses,  with  cantatas  and 
oratorios,  may  be  most  interesting.  Motion 
dances  and  national  dances  are  easily  taught,  the 
latter  especially  in  towns  and  cities  where  different 
nationalities  are  represented  in  the  population. 

VII  —  PUBLIC   INSTITUTIONS 

1.  Civic  —  The  court-house:  the  proper  archi- 
tecture —  simplicity  and  dignity.     Improving  an 


154       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

old  structure.  The  grounds.  Decorations.  The 
jail:  what  are  the  present  local  conditions.^^  Is 
improvement  possible  .f*  Modern  ideas  of  imprison- 
ment and  the  housing  of  prisoners. 

2.  Useful  —  The  station:  cooperation  between 
the  railway  company  and  the  citizens.  Cleanli- 
ness, paint,  sanitation,  lawns,  and  flower-gardens. 
The  water-works:  decorative  possibilities  in  the 
plant.    Fountains  and  flower-beds. 

3.  Literary  —  The  public  library :  the  value  of  a 
lecture-hall.  The  local  lyceum.  Loan  exhibitions. 
Reading-rooms:  importance  in  the  absence  of  a 
library.     Making  the  place  attractive. 

4.  Monumental  —  Improvement  in  public  taste. 
Necessity  of  a  committee  to  pass  judgment  on 
proposed  memorials.  Superfluous  monuments. 
Statuary  and  tablets.  The  soldier's  monument. 
The  local  historical  society.  The  cemetery: 
the  ideal  location,  ownership,  and  control.  Trust 
funds  for  perpetual  care.  Beauty  and  ugliness 
in  stones.     Trees,  lakes,  flowers. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Mawson :  Civic  Art. 
Bentley  and  Taylor:  Practical  Guide  in  the  Prepa- 
ration of  Town  Planning  Schemes.  Ravens- 
croft:  Town  Gardening.    Penstone:  Town  Study. 

Much  can  be  done  by  a  club  toward  improving 


AND    PROGRAMS  155 

the  condition  of  the  local  cemetery;  perhaps  even 
by  moving  it  from  a  place  too  near  the  heart  of 
town  to  a  more  attractive  and  proper  site,  planting 
trees  and  flowering  shrubs,  arranging  to  have  grass 
and  flowers  cared  for,  straightening  old  monu- 
ments, and  the  like.  A  paper  might  deal  with  the 
question:  How  can  women  carry  out  their  ideas 
without  antagonizmg  the  town  council? 

VIII  —  THE    TOWN    CHURCH 

1.  Tlie  Church  Structure  —  A  beautiful  ex- 
terior: simplicity,  good  taste  in  material,  outline 
and  color.  A  beautiful  interior:  quiet  decoration; 
window  glass,  good  and  bad;  low-toned  carpet 
and  cushions. 

2.  Sunday  Services  —  Dignity  and  reverence  in 
their  conduct.  Importance  of  music.  How  shall 
good  music  be  secured  in  a  small  neighborhood? 
The  chorus  choir.    Vesper  services. 

3.  The  Sunday  -  School  —  Modern  methods. 
The  graded  school.  Prizes  and  exhibitions. 
Young  people's  work;  relating  this  to  the  rest  of 
the  church- work. 

4.  Week-Day  Appointments  —  Men's  meetings: 
how  to  get  the  men  to  come.  Civic  value  of  men's 
church  clubs.     Women's  meetings:    the  church 


156       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

aid  society,  the  missionary  society.  Young 
women's  guilds.  Clubs  for  girls  and  for  boys. 
The  Boy  Scouts,  etc. 

5.  The  Minister's  Home  —  Should  the  social 
life  of  the  church  center  in  the  minister's  home? 
Relation  of  the  minister's  wife  to  her  husband's 
work.  Church  ownership  of  the  minister's  house; 
its  care  and  improvement. 

Books  to  Consult  —  C.  A.  Wight:  Some  Old 
Time  Meeting  Houses  of  the  Connecticut  Valley. 
K.  L.  Butterfield:  The  Country  Church  and  the 
Rural  Problem.  W.  M.  Ede:  Attitude  of  the 
Church  to  Some  of  the  Social  Problems  of  Town 
Life.  Ramsay  and  Beel:  Thousand  and  One 
Churches.  E.  C.  Foster:  The  Boy  and  the 
Church. 

The  question  of  the  use  of  the  stereopticon  and 
moving  pictures  in  connection  with  the  church 
should  be  taken  up.  Shall  the  Sunday-evening 
services  be  varied  occasionally  by  a  talk  on  the 
Holy  Land,  or  famous  paintings  of  Christ,  or  the 
Pilgrim's  Progress,  or  the  Passion  Play  at  Ober- 
ammergau?  The  distribution  of  the  church  flowers 
after  services  may  be  an  outcome  of  this  meeting, 
and  a  club  committee  may  be  appointed  to  see 
that  they  are  taken  to  the  sick. 


AND    PROGRAMS  157 

IX  —  CHARITIES 

1.  Existing  Local  Charities— Their  history,  char- 
acter, and  condition.  The  poorhouse,  free  beds 
in  hospitals,  distributing  agencies.  Discussion: 
What  can  we  do  to  improve  local  conditions? 

2.  Best  Methods  of  Helping  the  Needy  —  Peril 
of  indiscriminate  giving.  Self-respect  in  the  poor. 
Place  of  the  friendly  visitor. 

3.  New  Work  —  The  day  nursery,  the  kitchen 
garden,  the  fiower-and-fruit  committee,  home  for 
the  aged,  free  employment  bureau,  work  centers: 
the  laundry  and  the  wood-yard. 

4.  Organized  Charity  —  Discuss  the  subject  of 
waste  through  duplication.  Gathering  and  dis- 
tributing information.  Cooperation  between 
church  and  other  societies. 

Books  to  Consult  —  E.  T.  Devine:  The  Prac- 
tice of  Charity.  E.  T.  Devine:  Misery  and  Its 
Causes.     W.  H.  Allen:    Efficient  Democracy. 

In  cities,  one  of  the  most  valuable  helps  in 
charitable  organizations  is  the  constant  meeting 
of  the  workers  at  informal  gatherings,  when  the 
larger  aspects  of  the  subject  are  discussed  and  the 
various  parts  of  the  work  are  harmonized.  The 
necessity  that   all    should   work  sympathetically 


158       WOMAN'S    CLUB   WORK 

together  should   be   emphasized   in   a   brief   talk 
after  this  program. 

X  —  LOCAL  AMBITIONS 

1.  The  Town  Beautiful  —  Description  of  what 
is  being  done  in  cities,  and  suggestions  thus  de- 
rived: Washington,  Chicago,  Cleveland,  Minne- 
apolis. L'Enfant's  plans  for  Washington,  and  their 
history.     What  Baron  Haussmann  did  for  Paris. 

2.  The  Plan  of  the  Town  —  Is  the  location 
of  the  best.^  Can  the  situation  be  changed  in 
any  way  for  the  better.'*  Plan  an  ideal  town  on  the 
local  site.    Value  of  an  outlook  for  the  future. 

3.  Landmarks  —  Give  a  brief  history  of  the 
town;  and  mention  the  chief  incidents  in  it,  and 
the  names  of  the  principal  persons  who  shared  in 
them.  Suggestions  as  to  public  memorials,  tab- 
lets, and  monuments. 

4.  Specific  Improvements  —  Removal  of  un- 
sightly objects  and  buildings.  Regulation  of 
saloons.  Improvement  of  unsanitary  houses. 
Drainage  of  swamps  and  pools  in  the  neighborhood. 
The  surroundings  of  the  railway  station. 

5.  Organization  —  What  committees  are  needed 
to  help  improve  the  town?  IIow  can  such  com- 
mittees cooperate  with  similar  men's  committees 


AND    PKOGRAMS  159 

and  with  the  pubhc  authorities?  How  can  public 
sentiment  be  aroused?  Value  of  an  exliibition  of 
plans  for  ideal  towns. 

Books  to  Consult  —  M.  M.  Penstone:  Town 
Study.  A.  D.  Webster:  Town  Planting.  H.  I. 
Triggs :  Town  Planting.  Raymond  Unwin :  Town 
Planting  in  Practice. 

This  program  should  be  of  practical  value  to 
the  local  town,  summing  up  the  meetings  that 
have  preceded  this,  and  presenting  certain  definite 
propositions  for  civic  improvements.  It  might 
be  well  to  invite  some  of  the  officials  of  the  town 
to  be  present  and  offer  suggestions.  A  committee 
should  be  appointed  at  the  close  to  take  up  the 
specific  plans  adopted. 


160       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 


CHAPTER  XI 

Holland 
introductory 

No  historical  study  could  be  of  greater  interest 
to  clubs  than  that  of  Holland.  The  story  of  the 
rise  of  the  Dutch  Republic  is  more  stirring  than 
any  romance.  Her  army  was  small,  but  uncon- 
querable; her  navy  successfully  fought  the  navies 
of  far  greater  nations.  Her  commerce  was  un- 
rivaled; her  colonies  were  planted  in  unknown 
countries;  her  artists  were  the  greatest  of  the 
world  at  the  time.  But,  most  of  all,  Holland 
was  wonderful  for  her  great  struggle  for  liberty 
when  liberty  was  unknown,  and  the  effects 
of  her  victory  were  world-wide.  The  English 
and  American  revolutions  were  founded  on 
hers. 

Clubs  can  use  for  reference  The  Story  of  Hol- 
land, by  James  E.  T.  Rogers;  Brave  Little  Hol- 
land, by  W.  E.  GriflSs;  and  Motley's  stirring  book. 
Rise  of  the  Dutch  Republic. 


AND    PROGRAMS  161 

I  —  THE   LOW   COUNTRIES 

The  history  of  this  part  of  the  north  began 
when  JuHus  Csesar  came  to  Gaul.  At  the  farthest 
point  lay  a  huge  morass  covered  with  forests  called 
Batavia,  and  one  race  living  there,  the  Friesian, 
was  noted  for  its  independent,  untamed  character. 
Their  law  declared  that  "  the  race  should  be  free 
as  long  as  the  wind  blew  out  of  the  clouds,"  and 
this  ancient  saying  has  always  been  the  rallying 
cry  of  Dutch  patriotism. 

At  first  under  German  dominion,  the  country 
became  later  a  part  of  the  Holy  Roman  Empire, 
and  was  ruled  by  a  prince  bishop.  Later  the 
Counts  of  Holland  governed,  and  after  the  Cru- 
sades, when  the  feudal  system  was  perfected,  the 
great  towns  became  practically  independent.  We 
read  of  magistrates,  mayors,  and  aldermen.  The 
population  changed  rapidly,  commerce  flourished, 
learning  spread,  and  Holland  became  famous  as 
the  great  cloth  market  of  the  world. 

Close  this  period  by  noting  two  important 
points:  First,  that  after  the  land  had  all  been 
cleared  and  drained  the  people  built  dikes  and 
forced  the  sea  back,  so  gaining  much  arable  land; 
second,  that  the  great  guilds  of  the  time  had  much 


162       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

to  do  with  the  future  history  of  the  country.  They 
existed  among  artisans  and  manufacturers,  and, 
in  addition,  the  curious  guilds  of  rhetoric  gave 
theatrical  exhibitions  and  had  processions,  the 
latter  called  Land  Jewels,  from  their  magnificence. 
Motley  lays  emphasis  on  the  value  of  the  guilds 
in  keeping  alive  the  sentiment  of  liberty. 

II  —  PHILIP   THE   GOOD 

In  the  fifteenth  century,  Philip  the  Good  of 
Burgundy,  by  purchase,  usurpation,  and  marriage 
dower,  became  the  head  of  the  Low  Countries. 
The  real  rulers  of  the  country  were  the  stadthold- 
ers,  and  the  great  cities  stood  individually  rather 
than  unitedly.  Read  the  story  of  the  war  against 
England  under  Philip;  note  the  rise  of  the  fish- 
eries and  their  immense  importance  commercially, 
as  well  as  the  beginning  of  the  Dutch  navy  in 
the  fishing  fleet.  Read  also  in  Brave  Little  Hol- 
land of  the  curious  political  parties  called  the 
*'Cods"  and  the  "Hooks."  Notice  the  begin- 
nings of  the  Reformation  in  other  countries  under 
Luther  and  Calvin,  and  have  a  paper  on  Erasmus 
of  Holland;  contrast  his  teachings  with  those  of 
the  other  reformers.  Read  Henry  Kingsley's  novel, 
called  Old  Margaret,  on  this  time,  and  also  Scott's 


AND    PROGRAMS  163 

Quentin  Durward,  and  Mary  of  Burgundy,  by 
G.  P.  R.  James. 

Ill  —  TROUBLE   WITS   SPAIN 

Passing  rapidly  through  several  intervening 
reigns,  we  come  to  that  of  Philip  the  Fair,  whose 
momentous  marriage  with  the  daughter  of  Ferdi- 
nand and  Isabella  of  Spain  brought  the  Nether- 
lands into  conflict  with  the  greatest  power  in 
the  world.  Their  son  Charles,  born  in  1500, 
and  called  Count  of  Flanders,  became  King  of 
Spain  and  then  Emperor  of  Germany.  He 
was  hard,  narrow-minded,  selfish,  and  a  religious 
bigot. 

As  soon  as  he  realized  the  inroads  Protestant- 
ism was  making  in  Europe,  he  determined  to  put 
it  down.  He  prohibited  the  reading  of  the  Bible, 
just  printed  in  Amsterdam,  and  established  the 
Inquisition,  which  in  Holland  alone  put  to  death 
over  fifty  thousand  people.  After  fifty  years  of 
disastrous  rule  he  abdicated  in  favor  of  his  son 
Philip. 

At  the  great  ceremony  which  marked  this  event 
three  famous  persons  took  part:  Charles  himself; 
the  Stadtholder  of  Holland,  William,  Prince  of 
Orange,    on    whose    arm    Charles    leaned;     and 


164       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Philip  the  new  sovereign,  who  inherited  all  his 
father's  bigotry,  and  added  a  cruelty  which  ex- 
ceeded it. 

IV ACCESSION   OP   PHILIP   II.    OF   SPAIN 

It  was  only  a  short  time  before  William  dis- 
covered that  Philip  had  planned  a  massacre  of  all 
the  Protestants  of  Holland;  although  himself  a 
Catholic,  he  quietly  returned  home  at  once  and 
gave  warning  of  the  danger;  it  was  then  that  he 
obtained  the  title  of  William  the  Silent.  The 
Dutch  had  received  Philip  in  their  country,  but 
now,  while  pledging  loyalty  to  him,  they  asked 
the  withdrawal  of  the  Spanish  troops,  which  so 
angered  the  King  that  he  left  the  country,  vowing 
vengeance.  Read  from  Motley  the  account  of 
the  memorable  scene  of  the  parting  between 
Philip  and  William,  and  also  his  estimate  of 
Philip. 

Philip  left  behind  him  Margaret  of  Parma, 
his  half-sister,  as  regent.  Holland  begged  her 
to  suspend  the  Inquisition.  Have  a  paper  on  the 
banquet  at  which  the  petition  was  presented, 
and  the  founding  there  of  the  famous  order  of 
"  The  Beggars  of  Holland,"  who  did  such  wonder- 
ful things  on  land  and  sea.    Close  the  program  with 


AND    PROGRAMS  165 

a  sketch  of  William,   who  now   becomes  one  of 
the  foremost  men  of  history  of  any  period. 

V  —  THE   WAR 

Philip  was  determined  to  uproot  Protestantism 
in  Holland  at  all  costs.  He  sent  there  the  merci- 
less Duke  of  Alva  with  more  than  ten  thousand 
picked  troops;  he  established  himself  at  Ant- 
werp, formed  the  terrible  "  Blood  Council,"  pro- 
nounced sentence  of  death  on  all  the  people  of 
the  Netherlands,  and  summoned  William  to 
appear  before  him,  Margaret  withdrew  from  the 
country;  William  fled  to  Germany,  and  was  out- 
lawed; ten  thousand  Hollanders  escaped  to 
England.  William,  directing  the  war  from  Ger- 
many, placed  his  brother  Louis  at  the  head  of  the 
troops;  a  great  battle,  Heiliger  Lee,  followed,  in 
which  by  a  stratagem  the  Spanish  were  utterly 
defeated.  Declaring  himself  a  Protestant,  Will- 
iam returned  and  took  the  field. 

Read  the  story  of  Egmont  and  Hoom  and 
their  fate  in  Motley  and  in  Goethe's  drama.  Have 
selections  from  these  novels  bearing  on  the  time: 
Lysbeth,  by  H.  Rider  Haggard,  and  Jan  van 
Elselo,  by  G.  and  M.  Coleridge. 

Alva   fought   and   defeated   William   at   Geta 


166       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

and  dispersed  his  army.  Believing  victory  his, 
he  had  a  great  statue  of  himself  erected  at  Antwerp; 
but  twenty-four  vessels  of  the  little  new  navy 
manned  by  the  "  Water  Beggars  "  turned  the  tide 
against  him,  and  at  this  point  the  great  struggle 
really  began. 

Only  the  few  leading  events  can  be  touched  upon 
here,  but  clubs  should  take  up  the  whole  wonder- 
ful story  of  the  conflict,  in  many  respects  the 
most  interesting  war  of  history. 

The  seven  months'  siege  of  Haarlem,  with  its 
heroic  defense  and  final  destruction,  was  followed 
by  the  siege  of  Alkmaar,  when  women  and  boys 
helped  fight  in  the  trenches;  the  dikes  were  cut 
and  the  Spaniards  driven  out  by  the  sea. 

The  two  sieges  of  Leyden  followed,  with  their 
starvation  and  pestilence;  and  at  last,  when 
only  a  handful  of  people  were  left,  the  distant 
dikes  were  cut  and  the  water  slowly  crept  across 
the  fields;  then  a  great  storm  arose,  and  so  swept 
in  the  sea  that  the  Dutch  navy  could  sail  across 
the  land  to  the  city*s  relief.  Alva  left  for  Spain, 
and  the  new  regent  and  commander,  Requesens, 
came.  Soon  after  the  Dutch  issued  their  Declara- 
tion of  Independence,  July  26,  1581,  and  later 
fonned  the  United  States  of  the  Dutch  Republic. 


AND   PROGRAMS  167 

Two  other  governors  came  to  Holland,  Don 
John  of  Austria  and  Alexander  of  Parma,  but 
neither  could  bring  the  Dutch  to  submission.  The 
siege  of  Antwerp  followed,  and  soon  after  Will- 
iam was  assassinated  by  a  Spaniard.  In  despair 
Holland  offered  the  sovereignty  of  the  country 
first  to  France  and  then  to  England;  both  re- 
fused it,  but  Queen  Elizabeth  sent  men  and  money. 
Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  the  Earl  of  Leicester,  Miles 
Standish,  Captain  John  Smith,  and  Sir  Philip 
Sidney  came,  and  the  last  lost  his  life  on  the 
battle-field. 

Maurice,  the  son  of  William,  now  took  com- 
mand, and  was  called  "  the  foremost  soldier  of 
Europe."  It  was  not  long  till  Spain,  weary  of 
forty  years  of  struggle  with  an  unconquerable 
people,  signed  a  treaty  of  peace  and  virtually 
acknowledged  Holland's  independence. 

Clubs  should  take  up  the  whole  story  of  the 
relations  of  Holland  and  England  and  observe 
how,  three  years  later,  when  the  Armada  came, 
Holland  helped  England  to  meet  it.  Discuss  the 
bearings  of  this  great  struggle  for  liberty  on  other 
nations:    what  was  really  won.f^ 

Read  of  the  different  sieges  from  Motley;  no- 
tice also  what  he  says  of  the  work  of  the  Inquisition 


168       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

and  its  effect  on  the  resistance  of  the  people. 
Read  George  Ebers'  The  Burgomaster's  Wife  and 
Dumas'  The  Black  Tulip.  There  are  also  two 
books  written  for  boys  by  G.  A.  Henty  which  are 
worth  looking  over:  one,  By  Pike  and  Dike,  deal- 
ing with  the  siege  of  Haarlem,  and  the  other,  By 
England's  Aid.  Ruth  Putnam's  life  of  William  the 
Silent  should  be  read. 

VI AFTER    THE   WAR 

Holland,  in  spite  of  her  terrible  losses  by  death 
in  battle,  by  starvation,  and  by  torture,  and  the 
immense  destruction  of  property,  and  the  cost 
of  carrying  on  the  war,  was  yet  left  in  a  strong 
position.  She  was  at  once  enriched  by  the  coming 
of  thousands  of  intelligent  merchants  and  artisans 
from  the  south,  flying  from  persecution,  and  her 
trade  and  colonies  were  uninjured.  The  great 
Bank  of  Amsterdam  flourished,  and  had  an  inter- 
esting history.  The  curious  event  of  the  time 
was  the  "  tulip  mania,"  a  wild  speculation  which 
was  disastrous  to  the  nation. 

VII HOLLAND    AND    PROTESTANTISM 

All  over  Europe  religion  and  politics  inter- 
mingled, and  it  was  so  in  Holland.     The  country 


AND    PROGRAMS  169 

as  a  whole  followed  the  Calvinistic  form  of  faith, 
and  this  led  to  internal  difficulties.  It  was  really 
a  question  whether  Church  and  State  should  be 
united  or  separated.  Maurice,  Barneveldt,  and 
Grotius  were  the  leaders.  Barneveldt,  a  truly 
able  statesman,  was  belieaded;  Grotius,  the  fa- 
mous scholar,  escaped  from  imprisonment  to 
Paris.  Complications  arose  from  the  coming  of 
persecuted  peoples;  the  Albigenses  from  France, 
the  Waldenses  from  Italy,  and  the  Anabaptists. 
In  the  end  democracy  won,  religious  liberty  was 
assured,  and  Church  and  State  were  kept  apart. 
At  this  point  tell  the  story  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers 
in  Holland,  and  show  how  far  ahead  of  the  times 
Holland  was  in  her  religious  position. 

VIII TROUBLES     BETWEEN     HOLLAND     AND     ENG- 
LAND 

Both  Holland  and  England  had  colonies  in 
India  and  elsewhere,  and  now  their  trade  con- 
flicted. The  antagonism  thus  roused  was  in- 
creased by  the  fact  that  the  Dutch  had  given 
shelter  to  the  Stuarts.  The  English  forced  on 
Holland  a  two-years'  war  which  was  entirely  on 
the  sea,  and  was  led  by  four  great  admirals: 
Blake  and  Monk  on  the  side  of  the  English,  and 


170       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Tromp  and  De  Ruyter  on  the  side  of  the  Dutch. 
The  story  is  full  of  interest;  the  result  favored 
the  Dutch. 

The  great  political  leader,  John  De  Witt,  came 
into  prominence  at  this  period;  he  was  called 
"  The  Wisdom  of  Holland."  He  had  the  descend- 
ant of  William  the  Silent  educated,  and  later 
originated  the  plan  of  having  him  marry  Mary, 
the  daughter  of  the  Duke  of  York,  later  James 
the  Second  of  England,  hoping  so  to  weld  the 
two  countries  together.  De  Witt's  murder  by  the 
mob  in  1672  is  a  blot  on  the  country's  honor. 

IX  —  THE     SECOND     NAVAL    WAR     WITH     ENGLAND 

The  reins  of  the  government  were  in  the  hands 
of  the  Stadtholder  William,  another  prince  of 
Orange;  but,  in  spite  of  all  efforts,  war  on  account 
of  the  colonies  broke  out.  A  great  naval  battle 
occurred,  and  the  English  fleet  was  burned. 
Later,  France,  aided  by  England,  invaded  Holland, 
but  again  the  dikes  were  cut  and  the  foreigners 
driven  away.  Years  of  war  followed,  with  differ- 
ent countries  taking  part,  and  with  Spain, 
strangely  enough,  siding  with  Holland.  In  a 
battle  in  the  Mediterranean,  De  Ruyter,  the  idol 
of  his  people,  was  killed. 


AND   PROGRAMS  171 

There  was  much  talk  at  the  time  of  making 
WilKam  king  of  the  Netherlands,  but  just  then 
England  took  up  the  project  of  having  him  marry 
Mary,  as  De  Witt  had  planned,  and  this  he  did. 
He  invaded  England,  was  received  gladly  by  the 
people,  and  was  crowned  joint  sovereign  with 
Mary  in  London.  King  James  fled,  and  the  new 
dynasty  was  established  peacefully. 

X  —  Holland's  later  history 

In  1747,  when  all  Europe  had  been  in  turmoil, 
the  whole  seven  provinces  of  the  Netherlands, 
which  had  been  loosely  connected,  united,  and 
the  stadtholder  became  the  real  ruler  of  his 
people;  but  dissensions  arose,  his  powers  were 
curtailed,  and  at  last  civil  war  broke  out.  The 
King  of  Prussia  took  part,  and  Amsterdam  was 
besieged  and  capitulated.  Later  Napoleon  came, 
and  Holland  was  soon  only  one  of  his  little  king- 
doms. Against  him,  at  Waterloo,  the  Prince  of 
Orange  fought  with  the  allies.  After  the  victory 
the  prince  made  a  triumphal  entry  into  The 
Hague,  and  took  the  title  of  Sovereign  Prince. 
The  republic,  which  had  existed  only  in  name 
for  years,  ended  there,  for  presently  he  was 
crowned  as  King  William  I. 


172       WOMAN'S    CLUB  WORK 

Belgium  united  with  Holland  in  a  union  which 
could  not  last,  and  a  nine  years'  war  followed, 
with  one  memorable  event,  when  Lieutenant 
Van  Speyk  blew  up  his  own  ship  with  all  on 
board,  rather  than  surrender.  Belgium  and 
Holland  separated.  William  I.  was  followed  by 
William  II.  and  William  III.,  and  the  young  Queen 
Wilhelmina,  who  is  the  daughter  of  the  last  king. 
She  and  her  consort  are  the  rulers  to-day. 

HOLLAND    AND    LEARNING,    ART,    LITERATURE,    AND 
SCIENCE 

There  is  only  one  great  university  in  Holland, 
that  of  Leyden,  founded  in  commemoration  of 
the  great  siege  by  William  the  Silent.  Learned 
men  from  all  over  Europe  flocked  there  at  one 
time,  and  its  students  numbered  two  thousand. 
To-day  there  are  only  a  few  hundred,  as  in  the 
other  two  smaller  universities.  But  Leyden  is  still 
famous  for  its  museums,  among  the  richest  in 
Europe. 

Holland  had  some  notable  early  printers,  among 
them  the  Elzevirs,  who  stand  in  the  first  rank. 
She  had  two  world-leaders  in  philosophy,  Spinoza 
and  Descartes,  the  latter  belonging  also  to  France. 
Erasmus  was  the  most  distinguished  of  modern 


AND    PROGRAMS  173 

classical  scholars,  and  Grotius  founded  the  science 
of  International  Law.  Jakob  Cats  is  Holland's 
best-known  poet,  and  Maarten  Maartens  is  the 
great  novelist. 

The  Dutch  have  stood  foremost  in  science, 
especially  medicine.  They  produced  the  first 
fine  optical  instruments,  and  they  have  been 
pioneers  in  navigation  and  floriculture. 

In  painting,  Holland  occupies  a  place  of  high 
distinction.  Among  the  names  of  the  great  paint- 
ers are  those  of  Rembrandt,  Frans  Hals,  Gerard 
Douw,  Teniers,  Ruysdael,  Jan  Steen,  Hobbema, 
and  Cuyp;  and  in  our  own  time,  Ary  Scheffer, 
Alma-Tadema,  Israels,  Mesdag,  and  Mauve. 

Clubs  would  do  well  to  take  a  year  of  study 
on  the  last  general  topic  alone.  The  history  of 
the  men  of  science  and  philosophy  and  the  analysis 
of  the  work  of  the  painters  are  enough  to  fill 
easily  many  programs.  Add  to  this  the  study  of 
Holland  as  a  country;  its  picturesque  buildings 
in  the  cities;  its  canals,  bridges,  and  boats;  its 
windmills;  its  fishing  towns  and  their  quays  and 
smacks;  the  great  picture-galleries  and  museums; 
the  market-places;  the  peasants  there  and  in  the 
villages,  and  their  quaint  costumes;  the  life  of 
the   court;     the   curious   out-of -the- world   places 


174       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

on  the  islands  and  in  what  are  called  the  "  dead 
cities." 

Illustrate  programs  on  these  subjects  with 
pictures  of  all  kinds,  such  as  may  be  found  in  De 
Amicis'  book,  already  suggested.  See  also  G.  H. 
Boughton's  Sketching  Rambles  and  Stevenson's 
An  Inland  Voyage.  A  clever  little  story  of  a  trip 
on  Holland's  canals  is  The  Chaperon,  by  C.  N. 
and  A.  M.  Williamson. 


AND    PROGRAMS  175 


CHAPTER  XII 

The  Homelike  House 

This  very  practical  subject  for  club  study  is 
here  arranged  under  ten  topics,  but  they  may  be 
divided  into  as  many  more.  Numbers  one, 
seven,  and  ten  may  be  used  separately  —  a  year's 
work  made  out  of  each  one. 

Good  books  for  general  reference  are:  The 
Family  House,  by  C.  F.  Osborne;  The  House, 
Its  Plan,  Decoration,  and  Care,  by  Isabel  Bevier; 
and  The  House  Beautiful,  by  W.  C.  Gannett. 
The  American  School  of  Economics  of  Chicago 
has  some  very  useful  books  on  its  list  on  the  build- 
ing and  furnishing  of  homes,  and  there  are  hun- 
dreds of  magazine  articles  on  these  and  kindred 
subjects. 

I  —  THE    EVOLUTION    OF    THE   MODERN    HOUSE 

Begin  in  the  earliest  times  with  the  homes  of 
the  cave  and  lake  dwellers,  the  reed  and  wattle 
huts  of  primitive  man, and  the  tents  of  the  nomads. 


176       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Notice  how,  as  wandering  groups  settled,  civiliza- 
tion advanced  and  houses  of  wood  and  stone  were 
erected. 

Follow  with  a  study  of  the  permanent  and 
beautiful  homes  of  the  Egyptians,  Greeks,  and 
Romans,  and  show  plans  of  the  simple  and  har- 
monious interiors.  Then  contrast  these  with  the 
dwellings  of  the  Norsemen,  the  Goths,  and  other 
ruder  nations,  and  see  how,  after  they  had,  con- 
quered Rome,  they  carried  back  some  ideas  of 
comfort  and  beauty.  A  good  encyclopedia  will 
furnish  references  on  these  subjects. 

Study  the  architecture  of  the  Middle  Ages,  the 
great  castles  of  Italy,  Spain,  Germany,  France, 
and  England,  with  pictures  from  histories  and 
encyclopedias.  Mention  carvings  and  ornaments 
in  stone  and  wood,  used  in  these  castles.  Unless 
this  topic  is  to  be  expanded  into  a  study  of  archi- 
tecture, it  is  better  at  this  point  to  take  up  Eng- 
lish houses  alone.  Note  the  time  when  half- 
timbering  prevailed,  shown  still  in  many  houses  in 
Warwickshire  and  elsewhere.  Take  up  the  Tudor 
period,  when  red  brick  was  largely  the  material 
used  and  leaded  casement  windows  are  seen. 
Carved  furniture,  panelled  halls,  and  elaborate 
furniture    were    also    common.      The    Georgian 


AND    PROGRAMS  177 

and  Victorian  periods  follow,  and  have  a  cer- 
tain interest;  and  then  we  come  to  our  own 
country. 

II  —  THE   AMERICAN   HOUSE 

Houses  built  in  Colonial  and  Revolutionary 
times  were  suggested  by  English  styles,  and  many 
were  copies  of  existing  houses.  They  were  largely 
built  of  wood,  and  the  lines  were  simple  and  artis- 
tic. The  Old  Manse  at  Concord,  the  Longfellow 
house  at  Cambridge,  and  well-known  Southern 
mansions  are  suggestive  of  the  general  style.  The 
Dutch  houses  of  the  day  were  often  of  stone,  and 
were  low,  with  deep  roofs  and  porches  and  huge 
fireplaces. 

Soon  after  1800  the  period  of  experimental 
architecture  began,  and  has  continued  till  of  late, 
when  we  are  slowly  turning  backward  toward  the 
reproduction  of  old  styles  again.  Nondescript 
houses,  constructed  to  please  the  passing  fancy, 
have  been  the  rule;  mixed  styles,  inartistic  lines, 
and  scrollwork  have  disfigured  them. 

Show  from  magazines  the  new  ideas;  repro- 
ductions of  old  English  homes,  French  chateaux, 
Tudor  mansions;  the  combinations  of  brick, 
stone,  and  wood;   the  use  of  cement,  stucco,  and 


178       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

stone.     We  have  adopted  foreign  ideas,  and  are 
making  them  individual  and  valuable. 

Have  each  member  of  the  club  bring  in  pictures 
and  plans  of  modern  houses  of  all  kinds,  those  of 
the  city,  the  village,  the  farm,  from  the  cheapest  to 
the  most  costly,  and  point  out  the  new  ideas  and 
the  old.  A  good  idea  is  to  have  a  contest  of 
plan-drawing  on  easy  lines,  to  give  some  prac- 
tical knowledge  of  desirable  points. 

Ill  —  BUILDING   A   HOME 

How  shall  one  decide  on  a  site  for  a  new  house? 
Embody  these  ideas  in  a  paper:  See  that  the 
character  of  the  neighborhood  is  desirable;  that 
the  property  in  the  vicinity  is  appreciating  rather 
than  depreciating.  Note  the  relation  of  the  trolleys 
or  the  railroad.  Are  they  accessible,  yet  not  too 
near  for  comfort.^  Is  the  condition  of  the  street 
on  which  the  house  will  face  attractive,  well  kept, 
and  shaded.'^ 

Is  the  lot  in  good  condition.^  —  not  too  full  of 
stones,  not  so  low  that  it  will  require  filling,  nor 
so  high  that  it  will  need  grading?  Is  it  drained? 
Are  city  water  and  gas  at  hand?  Is  there  shade? 
Is  the  outlook  good?  If  in  a  country  district, 
how  near  arc  the  schools,  the  church,  the  mar- 


AND    PROGRAMS  179 

kets?  What  about  the  condition  of  the  roads  in 
winter? 

Study  of  materials:  Will  stone,  brick,  wood,  or 
cement  be  the  best  to  use  for  this  particular  house, 
and  will  one  alone  or  two  materials  combined  be 
preferable?  The  use  of  local  stone  is  often  the 
best  choice  of  all,  and  gives  a  beautiful  and  durable 
house.  Cement  must  be  fortified,  or  else  have 
air-spaces.  Cement  or  stucco  combined  with 
timbers  is  always  artistic. 

As  to  the  plan  of  the  house,  a  careful  study  is 
necessary.  See  the  plans  given  in  magazines  and 
books,  and  make  notes  of  what  suits  the  family 
needs  best.  Discuss  the  question.  Is  an  architect 
really  necessary,  or  can  a  builder  carry  out  a 
printed  plan?  Take  up  the  placing  of  a  house,  and 
observe  that  if  it  does  not  stand  four-square,  but 
rather  with  the  corners  northeast,  northwest, 
southeast,  and  southwest,  sunshine  will  come  into 
every  room  at  some  hour  of  the  day.  Have  a 
paper  or  talk  on  the  sanitation  of  the  country 
and  village  house  especially,  and  of  the  necessity 
of  overseering  the  plumbing  intelligently.  The 
heating  and  the  conveniences  of  the  house  should 
be  considered.  Speak  especially  of  the  point  that 
each  house  should  not  only  be  attractive  and 


180       WOMAN'S    CLUE    WORK 

convenient,  but  suited  to  the  needs  of  the  individ- 
ual family;  and  here,  not  the  architect,  but 
the  housekeeper  and  mother  should  assert  her- 
self. 

IV  —  THE   REMODELLED   HOUSE 

What  can  be  done  to  make  over  a  city  house 
that  is  unattractive?  A  paper  can  easily  be 
written  on  this  up-to-date  theme,  showing,  how 
a  narrow  brown-stone  house  with  high  front  steps, 
a  basement  dining-room,  and  small  rooms  can 
be  made  over.  The  outside  can  be  covered  with 
brick  or  stucco,  and  perhaps  blinds  added.  The 
steps  can  be  removed,  and  an  English  entrance 
constructed  directly  from  the  street.  The  stairs 
can  be  turned  around,  making  the  hall  much  larger; 
the  dining-room  can  be  put  up-stairs,  with  a  dumb- 
waiter. The  small  rooms,  perhaps  dark,  can  be 
thrown  together  into  one  large  living-room,  and 
the  windows  enlarged.  Wood  floors  can  be  laid, 
dark  wall-papers  replaced  with  light,  and  the 
whole  will  have  a  modem  effect.  Architects  are 
specializing  on  this  point. 

What  can  be  done  to  make  over  a  village  house? 
All  the  ugly  scrollwork  can  be  removed  from  the 
porch  and  windows,  and  any  little  pinnacles,  or 


AND    PROGRAMS  181 

perhaps  a  cupola  from  the  roof.  A  wide,  simple 
porch  can  replace  the  narrow  one;  the  house  can 
then  be  shingled  all  over,  and  stained,  or  painted 
in  a  quiet  color.  The  small  rooms  may  be  thrown 
together,  making  large  ones,  and  small  doorways 
can  be  made  wider.  The  floors  may  be  laid  in 
hard  wood  or  Southern  pine,  or  maybe  painted  or 
stained,  and  rugs  may  take  the  place  of  carpets. 
The  hangings  may  be  dyed,  if  they  are  too  ornate; 
the  old  wall-paper  may  be  replaced  by  something 
plain  and  quiet;  the  pictures  may  be  rehung.  A 
bathroom  may  be  put  in,  if  there  is  none.  The 
kitchen  may  be  made  more  convenient.  The  yard 
may  be  made  attractive  with  trees  and  shrubs. 
Unsightly  out-buildings  may  be  removed ;  the  fence 
may  be  improved.  The  porch  may  have  vines 
and  window-boxes,  and  be  furnished  for  a  living- 
room,  with  awnings,  chairs,  and  a  table. 

What  can  be  done  to  make  over  a  farm-house? 
First  of  all,  the  barns  and  out-buildings  must  be 
removed,  or  hidden  behind  screens  of  trees  or 
evergreens,  or  at  least  painted  or  stained.  The 
yard  must  be  put  in  order,  and  shrubs  and  flowers 
set  out.  The  house  front  door  must  be  opened,  and 
a  porch,  or  attractive  entrance  built,  with  vines. 
Within,  the  front  room  should  be  arranged  for 


1S£       TVO^IAVS    CLUB    WORK 

c^— .  -—  ~ ^_  'i~  1  ::-  —  ieQeoL  piobafatv, 
and  tlr  "::       -  r  ^  screened-    The  flocK' 

can  be  5^  ^^tly  lag  rag  laid  down; 

D^tr  fmnione  can  be  replaced  with  scone  ol  the 
anspits  old-la^iianed  sort  that  is  in  keejMi^  nith 
the  AajodbET  of  the  house.  A  fiiefJace  may  pos- 
sUjr  be  opened,  and  the  pictures  rdmng  on  fresfa^ 
popezedwalk.  1^  kibdien  and  dining-room  may 
have  niTr  n  isnenioices,  and  water  may 

b^  zrtMn  the  windmiD  or  sfsing.      The 

beoKjfuius  luay  be  made  mace  airy,  and  perhaps 
a  faathioani  added. 

Sbnr  pkinies  ol  made-orver  h :  i  ^ 

other  kinds,  and  esBi^iasiBe  the  f^  ~ 

be  done  with  Ifttle  outlay  of  money.    Sr>- 


le  rather  than  what  i&  meieiy  eoeiJiy 

:e  the  papers  pcadieal,  and  have 

\-'^  what  they  have  sees  acoom- 


V  —  TZT    STiOtEB   COTTAGE 

Tlik  B  one  ol  the  most  fasdiiatii^  subjects  of 
the  year.  Be^n  by  noting  the  kinds  of  houses 
needed  lor  the  moontams,  the  seashoe,  the  in- 
land  plain  or  TaHey,  and  the  camp,  and  their 


AXD    PROGRAMS  183 

delightful  variety.  The  bungalow  is  the  modem 
suggestion  for  any  simple  summer  home,  and  it 
is  capable  of  infinite  change  to  suit  its  surround- 
ings. 

The  forest  camp  is  usually  planned  to  have 
several  plain  bungalows  rather  than  one,  and  they 
form  a  group,  one  for  sleeping,  one  for  dining,  one 
for  cooking.  Note  the  need  of  fireplaces,  of 
screened  windows  and  doors,  and  provision  for 
storing  food.  Show  how  bunks  can  take  the 
place  of  beds,  and  the  charm  of  an  out-of-door 
dining-room. 

Seashore  cottages  should  be  built  so  as  to  avoid 
dampness;  for  this  reason  stone  or  cement  is  not 
a  good  choice,  but  wood,  with  thin  walls  which  dry 
quickly.  Fireplaces  are  essential,  and  deep  porches 
on  the  sheltered  side  of  the  house.  There  may  be 
two  stories  to  a  bungalow  of  this  kind,  rather  than 
one,  and  the  inside  may  be  ceiled  with  wood,  and 
stained  rather  than  plastered. 

Inland  cottages  mav  be  made  of  cobble  or  anv 
native  stone,  or  of  wood,  or  cement,  or  a  combina- 
tion. There  should  be  large,  deep  porches,  to 
be  used  for  H\-ing-rooms,  and,  if  possible,  out-of- 
door  sleeping-porches.  The  house  should  be 
so  placed  as  to  command  the  best  view,  especially 


184       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

of  the  sunsets.  There  should  be  beautiful  gardens 
all  about  the  house. 

Show  pictures  of  all  these  styles  of  cottage, 
and  of  the  famous  California  bungalows,  which 
are  in  every  possible  style  and  at  all  prices. 

Close  this  subject  with  a  brief  talk  or  paper 
on  Furnishing  the  Summer  Home,  mentioning 
that  it  should  be  done  appropriately,  not  with 
left-over  city  furniture,  but  with  the  plainer  kinds 
which  suit  the  house.  Speak  of  simple  and  at- 
tractive curtains  and  hangings,  of  the  use  of 
chintzes  and  cretonnes,  of  white-painted  beds 
and  chairs,  of  porch  furniture.  Notice  also  the 
labor-saving  contrivances  for  summer  kitchens. 
Have  members  tell  of  what  they  have  seen  and 
done  in  summer;  close  with  a  talk  on  the  names 
of  summer  houses. 

VI  —  THE   APARTMENT 

The  remarkable  multiplication  of  apartments 
in  the  last  few  years  is  noteworthy.  Have  their 
advantages  and  disadvantages  presented,  and 
question:  What  are  the  essentials  of  a  good,  liv- 
able apartment.'^ 

Suggest  that  the  street  shoidd  be  accessible 
and  as  quiet  as  possible;   the  rooms  not  too  small 


AND    PROGRAMS  185 

nor  too  crowded;  that  there  should  be  light  and 
air  in  the  sleeping-rooms;  that  a  few  good  closets, 
a  sanitary  bathroom,  a  convenient  kitchen,  are 
all  necessary,  and  a  private  hall  is  desirable. 

Discuss  the  question:  How  does  the  furnishing 
of  an  apartment  differ  from  that  of  a  house? 
Present  the  suggestion  that  as  the  rooms  are  apt 
to  be  small  there  must  not  be  too  much  furniture, 
and  that  what  there  is  should  be  plain,  and  simply 
upholstered.  The  wall-paper  should  be  rather 
light  in  color,  and  plain  or  self -figured;  to  have 
it  all  of  one  kind  makes  the  apartment  look  larger 
than  if  several  kinds  were  used.  There  should  be 
few  hangings,  and  light  curtains.  Note  also  these 
questions:  How  can  spaces  be  saved  in  sleeping 
and  other  rooms  .^^  What  about  heating  and  ven- 
tilation? Is  living  in  an  apartment  hygienic? 
Does  it  tend  to  foster  or  discourage  neighborliness? 
Does  one  form  the  habit  of  moving,  and  is  the 
sense  of  continuity  of  a  permanent  family  home 
destroyed?  Have  a  discussion  arranged  in  ad- 
vance on  these  and  similar  points. 

VII FURNISHING   THE   HOME 

This  very  practical  subject  may  be  expanded  into 
several  meetings,  since  it  is  distinctly  educational. 


ISG       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Floors  —  Carpets  versus  bare  floors  and  rugs. 
What  is  the  cost  of  hard  wood,  of  Southern  pine, 
of  painted  or  stained  floors?  In  the  long  run,  are 
such  floors  and  the  necessary  rugs  more  or  less 
expensive  than  carpets?  What  sort  of  rugs  are 
desirable  beyond  the  Oriental?  What  are  artistic, 
durable,  harmonious  in  color  and  pattern?  What 
can  be  done  with  old  carpets? 

Walls  —  The  necessity  of  proper  proportion 
should  be  emphasized;  they  should  be  neither  too 
high  nor  too  low  for  the  size  of  the  room.  If 
they  are  wrong,  what  can  be  done?  Show  how 
papering  can  help  the  difficulty;  too  low  ceilings 
call  for  a  narrow  striped  paper  without  a  frieze; 
a  too  high  ceiling  needs  the  calcimined  ceiling 
carried  down  to  a  foot  or  more  on  the  wall,  with 
a  narrow  molding  where  it  meets  the  paper. 

Study  the  subject  of  wall-paper,  and  show  il- 
lustrations. The  dark  paper  absorbs  the  light. 
The  gilt-medallioned  paper  is  inartistic;  hard, 
bright  colors  are  tiring  to  live  with.  Chintz 
papers  are  suitable  for  bedrooms.  Notice  the 
value  of  self-toned  papers,  and  of  shades  of  tans 
and  pale  browns. 

Hangings  —  Have  a  paper  or  talk  here.  De- 
scribe the  ugliness  of  highly  colored,  fringed,  two- 


AND    PROGRAMS  187 

toned,  draped  portieres,  and  of  imitation  lace 
curtains,  such  as  Nottingham,  and  contrast 
with  the  beauty  of  simple,  plain  hangings  and 
curtains  of  net  or  musHn  of  good  styles.  Show 
pictures  from  catalogues  of  good  and  bad  hangings. 
Do  not  overlook  the  fact  that  if  windows  are  too 
large  or  too  small,  too  high  or  too  low,  their  out- 
line can  be  altered  by  their  treatment.  Present 
the  possibilities  of  stenciling. 

Furniture  —  This  topic  gives  opportunity  for 
a  whole  meeting.  Get  catalogues  from  dealers, 
and  illustrate  papers  on  different  styles  of  furni- 
ture, English  of  several  periods,  French,  German, 
Colonial,  and  the  modern  varieties  of  no  period 
at  all.  Read  from  Furniture  of  Olden  Times, 
by  Alice  C.  Morse.  Show  how  the  plain  lines 
of  old  mahogany  are  forever  beautiful.  Contrast 
such  furniture  with  the  showy,  ornate,  over- 
elaborate  things  we  too  often  see  to-day. 

Make  a  point  of  the  necessity  of  having  few 
and  simple  chairs  and  tables  in  small  rooms;  of 
the  advantage  of  low  bookcases  over  high  ones; 
the  beauty  of  shaded  lights  over  glaring  white 
ones;  of  side  lights  and  lamps  as  better  than  a 
central  chandelier  or  hanging  lamp. 

Pictures  should  be  of  good  subjects;   copies  of 


188       WO^IAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

great  masters,  and  of  beautiful  scenery  or  cathe- 
drals, can  be  had  in  photographs;  they  should 
be  plainly  framed,  hung  flat  on  the  wall,  and  oppo- 
site the  eye.  Bric-a-brac  should  be  quiet  in  color 
and  line,  rather  than  complex  and  pretentious; 
speak  of  the  value  of  pottery,  and,  if  possible, 
study  a  little  of  what  is  being  done  in  arts  and 
crafts  in  all  lines. 

A  practical  discussion  may  follow  on.  What  shall 
we  do  with  our  ugly  belongings?  Let  someone 
show  how  carpets  can  be  dyed  or  made  into  rugs, 
furniture  simplified  by  removing  the  cheap  orna- 
mentation and  staining  the  whole,  bookcases 
cut  down,  hangings  made  over. 

VIII SPECIAL   ROOMS 

Have  illustrated  papers  or  talks  on  these  topics: 
The  Living-Room  —  How  can  it  best  be  made 

beautiful  and  comfortable.^   What  colors  are  best.? 

what  furniture.'*    what  pictures  and  ornaments? 

Where  shall  the  writing-desk,  the  large  table,  the 

piano,  stand?   What  of  the  floor,  the  curtains,  the 

cushions?   What  is  essential,  and  what  can  we  do 

without? 

The  Dining-Room  —  Which  side  of  the  house  is 

best  to  choose?   What  colors  arc  suitable  for  the 


AND   PROGRAMS  189 

walls?  What  wood  for  the  furniture?  What  about 
a  sideboard,  glass-closet,  pantry?  How  can  we 
make  over  what  we  have? 

The  Bedrooms  —  Shall  we  use  wood  or  metal 
beds?  W^hat  of  the  floor?  Are  wall-papers  de- 
sirable? What  of  the  use  of  chintz  and  white 
paint?  What  curtains  and  hangings  are  best? 
What  furniture  can  be  home-made  for  the  bed- 
room? 

The  Boy's  Room  —  How  can  it  be  at  once  sen- 
sible and  attractive?  What  sort  of  furniture  will 
he  like  best,  and  what  colors?  Shall  there  be  a 
place  for  "  collections  "  ? 

The  Girl's  Room  —  How  shall  this  be  at  once 
dainty  and  practical?  What  colors  are  suitable? 
If  the  room  is  small,  how  can  the  space  be  best 
utilized?  Does  a  pretty  bedroom  tend  to  make 
a  girl  orderly? 

From  this  point  have  brief  papers  on  other 
rooms:  the  mother's  room;  the  guest-room;  the 
nursery;  the  playroom;  the  grandmother's  room; 
the  out-of-door  sleeping-room;  the  hospital 
room;  the  sewing-room;  the  linen-closet;  the 
attic;   the  cellar. 

Close  with  a  practical  paper  on  that  important 
room  in  the  home,  the  kitchen.    Show  that  it  is  a 


190       WOMAN'S    CLUB   WORK 

^York^oom,  to  be  furnished  and  used  as  such. 
Speak  of  the  floor,  the  walls,  and  their  finishing; 
the  tables  and  chairs;  the  pantries;  the  sink; 
the  range;  suggest  labor-saving  utensils  and 
contrivances,  and  use  illustrations;  notice  that 
the  kitchen  must  be  attractive  as  well  as 
practical.  Have  members  give  ideas  on  all  the 
topics. 

IX  —  THE   CARE   OF   THE   HOUSE 

Prepare  in  advance  a  discussion  on  these  sub- 
jects: How  much  care  shall  we  put  on  our  houses? 
Shall  women  give  up  all  their  time  to  keeping 
them  clean  and  orderly,'^  What  can  they  do  to 
save  steps?  How  much  can  the  children  help? 
Shall  boys  be  taught  housework?  What  can  be 
eliminated  from  the  daily  routine? 

If  desired,  there  might  be  a  practical  talk  on  the 
necessity  of  keeping  paint  in  good  condition,  to 
protect  the  wood  underneath;  of  the  care  of 
glass,  silver,  marble,  brass,  hard  wood;  of  how 
to  prevent  moths  and  mice,  and  of  how  often 
carpets  must  come  up.  It  is  better,  however,  to 
take  up  the  larger  aspects  of  the  question,  using 
such  suggestions  for  talks  or  papers  as  these: 
Has  housekeeping  lost  some  of  its  difficulties  to- 


AND    PROGRAMS  191 

day?  What  about  modern  appliances  to  avoid 
sweeping,  and  the  like?  Has  house-cleaning  lost 
its  terrors?  Can  the  average  woman  consider 
housekeeping  as  a  profession?  and  if  so,  how  and 
where  can  she  best  be  trained?  Compare  the  mod- 
ern housekeeper  with  the  one  of  half  a  century  ago. 
Show  how  the  trained  housekeeper  is  a  practical 
domestic  economist.  Discuss,  Business-like  House- 
keeping; How  shall  we  best  train  our  daughters 
in  it?  If  there  is  time,  take  up  the  servant  ques- 
tion. Are  our  ideas  changing  on  this  subject? 
Present  the  new  plans  for  specialists,  with  set 
hours,  and  the  like. 

X  —  GARDENS 

This  is  one  of  the  subjects  which  can  be 
indefinitely  expanded;  indeed,  a  whole  year's 
study  might  easily  be  put  on  it. 

Begin  with  a  study  of  historic  gardens  from 
the  earliest  times,  and  read  Bacon's  well-known 
essay.  Then  turn  to  the  gardens  of  to-day,  and 
begin  with  the  description  of  what  can  be  done 
in  an  apartment  when  one  can  have  only  window- 
boxes;  take  up  the  tiny  plots  behind  city  houses, 
and  show  what  can  be  done  there,  with  vines  over 
the   fences,   climbing   roses   over   a   little   arbor, 


192       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

narrow  beds  by  the  edge  of  the  grass;  show  pic- 
tures of  what  has  been  done,  if  possible. 

The  lawn  and  small  yard  of  a  suburban  house 
can  next  be  studied,  and  here  a  little  ingenuity 
can  be  shown  to  accomplish  a  great  deal.  Speak 
of  the  use  of  bulbs;  of  little  cold-frames;  of 
raising  grapes  under  glass  in  a  small  way,  and  of 
annuals,  shrubs,  vines,  and  roses. 

The  large  gardens  of  our  modern  country 
houses  deserve  especial  mention.  Have  as  many 
pictures  as  possible  of  these.  Notice  the  formal 
gardens,  the  Italian  gardens,  the  sunken  gardens, 
the  rose  gardens,  the  massed  shrubs,  the  walls  of 
brick  and  stone,  covered  with  vines.  The  ad- 
juncts of  the  gardens  are  often  most  beautiful  also, 
the  pergolas,  the  marble  and  terra-cotta  vases  and 
seats,  the  sun-dials,  the  fountains,  the  lily-ponds, 
and  the  vistas  cut  through  the  trees. 

Old-fashioned  and  herb  gardens,  kitchen  and 
market  gardens,  growing  violets  and  roses  to 
sell,  and  the  raising  of  unusual  seeds  and  plants 
are  all  topics  of  interest  both  theoretical  and  prac- 
tical. 


AND    PROGRAMS  193 


CHAPTER  XIII 

Nature 

I TREES 

1.  Trees  That  Are  Familiar  to  Us  —  Our  home 
varieties:  nut-trees,  foliage- trees,  evergreens,  etc.; 
fruit-trees  and  their  care. 

2.  Trees  That  Are  Strange  to  Us  —  Mahogany 
and  other  Central  and  South  American  trees ;  teak- 
wood;  cedars  of  Lebanon;  redwoods  of  Cahfornia. 

3.  The  Art  of  Forestry  —  Need  of  forestry; 
history  of  the  movement;  the  United  States 
Department. 

4.  The  Tree  in  Sentiment  and  Literature  — 
Famous  trees  (the  Charter  Oak,  King  Arthur's 
Oak,  the  Washington  Elm,  etc.);  poetry  about 
trees;  Tennyson's  trees;  Shakespeare's  trees. 

Readings  —  W.  C.  Bryant:  A  Forest  Hymn 
(in  part) .  Longfellow :  Evangeline  (opening  lines) . 
Whittier:  The  Palm  Tree. 

Books  to  Consult — Julia  E.  Rogers:  The  Tree 
Book.     What  is  Forestry.?    (U.  S.  Div.  Forestry 


194       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Bulletin  5).      G.  Pinchot:    A  Primer  of  Forestry 
U.  S.  Dept.  Agri.  Farmers'  Bulletin  173,  358). 

There  are  magazines  which  may  easily  be 
consulted  for  subjects  for  discussion  on  landscape- 
gardening,  the  grouping  of  shrubs  and  trees,  and 
similar  themes.  There  may  be  a  valuable  paper 
on  Insects  Which  Destroy  Our  Trees,  and  How  to 
Deal  with  Them;  the  Agricultural  Department 
at  Washington  will  gladly  send  pamphlets  _which 
will  be  of  great  use.  There  might  also  be  a  talli 
on  The  Lumberman  and  the  Government,  and 
another  on  The  Paper  IManufacturer  and  the 
Government,  and  a  third  on  Forestry  as  a  Pro- 
fession for  Young  Men. 

II  —  LOCAL   GEOLOGY 

1.  Geologic  Ages  Represented  in  the  United 
States  —  Estimate  of  geologic  time.  Character- 
istics of  the  particular  ages  in  this  locality.  Vol- 
canic action  and  its  effects,  with  local  illustrations. 
Action  of  water. 

2.  A  Geological  History  of  the  Local  Region  as 
Far  as  It  Can  Be  Constructed. 

3.  Fossil  Remains  of  Plants  and  Animals  in  the 
Neighborhood  —  Contents  of  local  collections  and 
museums  described. 


AND    PROGRAMS  195 

4.  Value  of  Local  Rocks  and  Soils  —  Use  of 
rocks  for  building,  for  roads,  for  chemical  purposes. 
Analysis  of  soils  and  description  of  their  best  use 
in  agriculture.  Defects  of  local  soils  from  the 
agricultural  standpoint,  and  the  remedy  for  them. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Dana:  Manual  of  Ge- 
ology. Shaler:  Outline  of  the  Earth's  History. 
U.  S.  Geological  Survey.     (Get  local  reports.) 

Discuss  the  importance  of  interesting  the  school- 
children in  the  local  geology.  What  excursions 
may  they  take  in  the  vicinity  for  this  purpose? 
The  value  of  making  collections  for  school  or  town 
use  is  also  a  suitable  topic.  Are  there  readable 
books  on  geology  in  the  public  library,  and  are 
they  read?  In  preparation  for  this  meeting  the 
chairman  may  obtain  literature  from  the  Secretary 
of  Agriculture  in  Washington,  on  soils,  and  what 
can  be  done  to  improve  them. 

Ill WATER   IN   NATURE 

1.  The  Distribution  of  Water  on  the  Globe  — 
Water  in  prehistoric  times.  Geological  action. 
The  Ice  Age.  The  unceasing  circulation  of  water: 
clouds,  rain,  streams,  etc.  The  coloration  of 
water  (blue  lakes,  green  seas,  brown  streams,  etc.). 

2.  The  Ocean  —  The  open  sea.     Movement  of 


196       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

tides.  Famous  tides.  The  beach:  sands,  pebbles, 
shells,  seaweeds,  etc.  The  surf.  Ocean  traffic. 
Lighthouses  and  lightships. 

3.  Lakes  —  The  great  lakes  of  the  United 
States.  Differences  between  them.  Their  com- 
merce. Small  lakes.  Great  Salt  Lake.  Lakes  in 
Maine,  Wisconsin,  Canada,  the  Adirondacks,  etc. 
Ponds.    Famous  ponds  (Walden,  etc.). 

4.  Rivers  —  The  Mississippi.  The  Hudson. 
Canal-boat  life.  Little  rivers  and  their  charm. 
The  river  as  a  highway.    River-craft  (canoes,  etc.). 

6.  Relation  of  Water  and  Human  Life  —  Water 
in  hygiene.  Famous  springs.  Irrigation  and 
forestry.  The  revival  of  the  canal  as  an  instrument 
of  commerce.    Water  in  literature  and  art. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Wright:  The  Ice  Age  in 
America.  Reclus:  ^The  Ocean.  Russell:  The 
Rivers  of  North  America.  Fuertes:  Water  and 
Public  Health. 

A  practical  paper  may  be  prepared  on  the 
Local  Water-Supply  and  the  Danger  to  Health 
from  Well-Water  and  Impure  Ice.  Have  a  brief 
paper  on  the  Suez  and  Panama  Canals,  with 
illustrations  of  the  latter.  Describe  the  systems 
of  locks  in  the  Sault  Sainte  Marie.  Consider  the 
subject  of  house-boats  on  rivers.    Have  readings 


AND    PROGRAMS  197 

from  Byron  on  the  ocean;  from  Clough's  Bothie 
(the  idyll  of  swimming) ;  from  Van  Dyke's  Little 
Rivers,  and  from  Thoreau's  Walden. 

IV INSECT-LIFE 

1.  Beetles  {Coleoptera)  —  Great  tropical  beetles. 
Common  local  varieties:  ladybugs,  the  potato-bug. 
Wood-beetles  and  their  destructiveness. 

2.  Ants,  Bees,  and  Wasps  —  Their  life-history, 
habits,  and  products.  Relation  to  man.  Readings 
from  Lubbock,  McCook,  and  Maeterlinck. 

3.  Butterflies  —  Life-history  and  transforma- 
tions. Gorgeous  varieties  of  equatorial  regions. 
Local  varieties  described. 

4.  A  Practical  Knowledge  of  Insect-Life  —  For 
the  farmer:  protecting  crops,  animals  and  trees. 
For  the  town  resident:  care  of  trees  and  plants. 
For  the  housewife:  household  pests,  and  how  to 
deal  with  them:   the  moth,  the  cockroach,  etc. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Comstock:  Manual  for 
the  Study  of  Insects.  Buckley:  Insect  Life.  Hol- 
land: The  Butterfly  Book.  Osborn:  Insects 
Affecting  Domestic  Animals. 

This  meeting  may  be  made  a  very  practical 
one.  Begin  with  the  life-story  of  the  bee  as  help- 
ful to  mothers  and  teachers  in  explaining  to  chil- 


198       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

dren  the  meaning  of  sex.  Read  from  The  Bee 
People,  by  Morley,  to  illustrate  the  point.  Have 
a  paper  on  The  Danger  of  Contagion  from  the 
House-fly  and  the  Mosquito;  give  preventives 
for  these  pests,  the  red  ant,  the  moth-miller,  and 
the  bedbug. 

V FISH 

1.  Introductory  Paper  —  The  place  of  fish  in 
the  scale  of  life.  Their  structure  and  habits. 
Fossil  fish.  Peculiar  fish:  of  the  tropics,  of  the 
deep  sea,  of  caves.    Flying  fish. 

2.  Local  Fishes  —  Description  of  varieties  and 
their  habits.  Stocking  of  local  waters  by  the 
United  States  Fish  Commission.     Fish    culture. 

3.  Commercial  Fisheries  —  Whaling  and  its 
romance.  Cod,  mackerel,  and  herring.  Reading 
from  Kipling's  Captains  Courageous.  Salmon- 
fishing  on  the  Pacific  coast.  The  Canneries. 
International  laws  about  fishing. 

4.  Angling  —  The  ethics  of  the  sport.  Methods 
of  equipment:  fly-fishing,  trolling,  chumming,  etc. 
The  hterature  of  fishing.  Read  from  Walton's 
Angler  and  Henry  Van  Dyke's  Fisherman's 
Luck. 

Books    to    Consult  —  Guenthcr:     Introduc- 


AND    PROGRAMS  199 

tion  to  the  Study  of  Fishes.  Goode:  American 
Fishes.  Louis  Rhead:  Book  of  Fish  and  Fishing. 
Bullen:    Denizens  of  the  Deep. 

A  talk  on  Fish  as  Food  might  be  introduced 
into  this  program,  or  a  reading  from  Atwater's 
book  entitled.  The  Chemical  Composition  and 
Nutritive  Value  of  American  Food  and  Fishes 
Invertebrates.  In  a  farming  community  the  value 
of  fish  as  a  fertilizer  might  well  be  considered. 
Fishing  birds,  kingfishers,  gulls,  pelicans,  and 
cormorants,  especially  the  trained  cormorants 
of  China,  are  of  interest.  The  program  might 
close  with  some  stories,  perhaps,  of  the  old  whaling 
days  of  Nantucket,  or  some  from  the  book  called. 
Fish  Stories,  by  Holder  and  Jordan. 

VI WILD    ANIRIALS 

1.  Local  Wild  Animals  —  Squirrels,  rabbits, 
moles,  hedgehogs,  woodchucks,  gophers,  etc. 
Their  habits.    What  they  mean  to  the  farmer. 

2.  Large  Game  in  the  United  States  —  Deer, 
moose,  elk,  buffalo,  mountain  sheep,  wildcats, 
bears.  The  preservation  of  wild  animals.  The 
Yellowstone  Park.  Private  preserves  in  New 
England,  etc. 

3.  Beasts    of   Prey  —  Lions,    tigers,    leopards. 


200       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

jaguars,  wolves,  etc.    Moving  pictures  of  animals 
in  a  wild  state.    Skins  and  their  value. 

4.  Monkeys  — Varieties  and  description  of 
them.  Capacity  for  training.  Discuss  Gamer's 
theory  of  a  monkey  language.  What  about  the 
Darwinian  theory? 

5.  Zoological  Gardens,  and  Menageries  —  Le 
Jardin  des  Plantes.  Amsterdam.  Berlin  (largest 
in  the  world).  London  (second  largest).  The 
Bronx  Zoo  in  New  York.    Its  architecture. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Flome  and  Lydekker: 
The  Study  of  Mammals.  Elliot:  Synopsis  of 
the  Mammals  of  North  America.  Romanes: 
Animal  Intelligence.  Roosevelt:  The  Wilderness 
Hunter,  and  African  Game  Trails. 

If  there  is  time,  have  an  introductory  paper 
on  fossil  wild  animals,  especially  those  of  the 
Carboniferous  Age,  with  pictures  of  such  skeletons 
or  reproductions  of  skeletons  as  those  in  the 
American  Museum  of  Natural  History  in  New 
York.  Give  also  a  resume  of  Huxley's  essay  on  the 
horse.  Close  with  a  discussion  of  the  psychology 
of  animals.  Do  they  think  and  reason.''  Refer 
to  Darwin's  Origin  of  Species  and  Descent  of 
Man.  Read  from  Maeterlinck's  essay  on  the 
dog. 


AND    PROGRAMS  201 

VII DOMESTIC    ANIMALS 

1.  Horses  —  Origin  of  the  horse.  Varieties 
in  different  countries:  the  Arabian  horse,  Nor- 
man draft-horses,  the  American  trotting-horse, 
the  broncho.  Readings  from  Huxley's  essay  on 
The  Horse,  and  Black  Beauty. 

2.  Cattle  —  World-wide  use  and  value.  Sacred 
bulls  of  Egypt  and  cows  of  India.  Famous  breeds : 
Jerseys,  Alderneys,  Holsteins.  Pure  milk,  and  how 
to  get  it.  Butter  and  cheese  making.  The  world's 
beef-supply.    Meat  as  a  diet. 

3.  Swine  —  Comparison  of  surviving  wild  and 
domestic  varieties.  History  of  the  use  of  pork  as 
a  food.  Commercial  uses  of  the  several  parts  of 
the  pig  (skin,  bristles,  bones,  etc.). 

4.  Sheep  and  Goats  —  Characteristics  and  va- 
rieties. Raising  sheep  or  goats  as  a  business: 
the  best  regions,  and  the  best  breeds  of  animals 
for  commercial  purposes.     Conditions  of  success. 

5.  Dogs  and  Cats  —  Antiquity  of  their  domes- 
tication. Varieties  and  their  qualities.  Dogs  as 
pack-animals,  as  hunters,  in  police  work,  as  pets. 
Readings  from  Agnes  Repplier,  The  Household 
Sphinx,  and  Maeterlinck  on  the  Dog. 

Books    to    Consult  —  Olive   Thorne    Miller: 


202       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Our  Home  Pets.  N.  S.  Shaler:  Domesticated 
Animals.  C.  A.  Shamel:  Profitable  Stock  Raising. 
Theophile  Gauthier:    My  Household  of  Pets. 

One  paper  might  be  written  on  the  horse  in 
mythology  and  literature  (Pegasus,  Bucephalus, 
etc.);  another  on  famous  race-courses  and  racers. 
In  farming  communities  take  up  the  subject  of 
horse-raising,  sanitary  barns,  etc.  A  third  paper 
may  be  on  American  packing-houses;  a  fourth  on 
shepherds,  ancient  and  modern,  and  stories  of 
shepherd-dogs;  a  fifth  on  famous  dogs.  Illus- 
trate the  last  with  a  reading  from  Rab  and  His 
Friends. 

VIII  —  BIRDS 

1.  Birds  of  the  Water  and  the  Shore  —  The  sea- 
gull, loon,  wild  geese  and  ducks.  Herons,  peli- 
cans, curlew. 

2.  Birds  of  Prey  —  Eagles,  vultures,  hawks. 

3.  Birds  as  Game  —  Pheasants,  pigeons,  quail, 
grouse,  wild  turkeys. 

4.  Birds  of  the  Night  —  Owls,  night-hawks. 

5.  Birds  and  Insects  —  Woodpeckers,  bee- 
eaters,  swifts. 

6.  Birds  of  Song  —  The  nightingale,  the  mock- 
ing-bird, thrushes,  warblers. 


AND    PROGRAMS  203 

Books  to  Consult  —  Robert  Ridgway :  Man- 
ual of  North  American  Birds.  H.  K.  Job: 
How  to  Study  Birds.  Chapman:  Bird  Life. 
Beetham:  Photography  for  Bird  Lovers.  Weed 
and  Dearborn:  Birds  in  Their  Relation  to 
Man. 

If  there  is  time,  have  these  papers  also:  Birds' 
nests  in  the  different  climates;  the  coloring  of 
birds'  eggs;  the  plumage  of  birds  and  its  use  in 
millinery;  bird  songs;  bird  study  with  opera- 
glass  and  camera.  Have  several  readings  from 
Burroughs'  Wake  Robin,  and  Mrs.  Olive  Thorne 
Miller's  Little  Brothers  of  the  Air. 

IX  —  FLOWERS 

1.  The  Study  of  Botany  as  a  Recreation  —  Char- 
acter of  the  local  neighborhood.  The  humble 
plants  and  flowers:  grasses,  mosses,  ferns,  and 
water  plants.     The  herbarium. 

2.  Wild  Flowers  of  the  Forest,  the  Swamp,  the 
Mountain,  and  the  Prairie. 

3.  Cultivated  Flowers  —  House  plants.  The 
amateur  greenhouse.  Window  boxes.  Curious 
flowers  and  orchids. 

4.  Gardens  and  Gardening  —  Literature  (Eve- 
lyn, etc.).     Cultivation  of  annuals.     Raising  of 


204        WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

spring  flowers.  Flowers  for  market.  Italian 
gardens. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Gray :  Botanical  Text 
Book.  Mrs.  W.  S.  Dana:  How  to  Know  the 
Wild  Flowers.  Caroline  A.  Creevey:  Flowers  of 
Field,  Hill  and  Swamp.  H.  L.  Keller:  Our 
Garden  Flowers.  Kerner:  Flowers  and  Their 
Unbidden  Guests. 

The  subject  of  gardens  can  be  extended  to 
cov^er  an  entire  program.  The  literature  of  the 
subject  has  become  very  great,  and  many  inter- 
esting and  beautiful  readings  may  be  chosen  from 
such  books  as  Buskin's  Proserpina,  Elizabeth 
and  Her  German  Garden,  and  Mabel  Osgood 
Wright's  Garden  of  a  Commuter's  W^ife.  An 
entire  paper  might  be  given  to  the  fascinating 
subject  of  sun-dials.  Another  might  deal  with 
the  literature  of  the  rose,  or  the  relation  of  plants 
and  insects,  or  the  color  of  flowers  (consult  Grant 
Allen). 

X SHRUBS,     VINES,     FERNS,     MOSSES,     LICHENS 

1.  Shrubs  —  Flowering  shrubs  suited  to  the 
climate.  What  shrubs  are  best  adapted  for  hedges 
locally?  Do  hedges  pay .5*  The  grouping  of  shrubs 
on   lawns,   and   the  principles  involved.     Land- 


AND    PROGRAMS  205 

scape-gardening  and  its  history  and  local  appli- 
cation. 

2.  Vines  —  Ornamental  and  fruit-bearing  vari- 
eties. The  Japan  ivy,  English  ivy,  woodbine. 
Care  of  vines  and  covering  in  winter.  The  enemies 
of  vines.  Pasteur  and  what  he  did  for  France. 
The  English  sparrow.  Arbors  and  their  construc- 
tion and  style.  Value  of  the  quickly  growing  vines, 
honeysuckle,  moon-vine,  etc. 

3.  Ferns  —  Local  varieties.  Description  of 
tropical  ferns.  Ferns  in  the  house,  and  their 
care.  The  Boston,  sword,  and  asparagus  ferns. 
Ferneries  and  how  to  make  and  care  for  them. 
Fern  balls. 

4.  Mosses  and  Lichens  —  Description  of  va- 
rieties. Remarkable  mosses  of  the  arctic  and 
the  tropic  zones.  Edible  mosses.  The  reindeer 
and  its  modern  propagation. 

Books  to  Consult  —  W.  C.  McCollum:  Vines 
and  How  to  Grow  Them.  N.  L.  Marshall: 
Mosses  and  Lichens.  W.  I.  Beecroft:  Who's  Who 
Among  the  Ferns.  D.  C.  Eaton:  Ferns  of  North 
America. 

This  meeting  may  be  made  practical  by  con- 
sidering how  to  beautify  unattractive  houses  and 
grounds  by  the  use  of  vines  and  shrubs.    Inartistic 


206       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

verandas  may  be  covered  with  Japanese  ivy, 
unsightly  fences  taken  down  and  replaced  with 
hedges,  and  back  yards  concealed  by  screens  of 
large  shrubs.  Photographs  of  transformed  houses 
and  yards  may  be  shown. 


AND    PROGRAMS  207 


CHAPTER  XIV 

The  Great  English  Novelists 
i  —  sir  walter  scott 

1.  Story  of  His  Life:  in  the  Country  —  Love 
of  the  Scottish  countryside;  saturation  with  old 
legends  as  a  child;   interest  in  odd  characters. 

2.  Story  of  His  Life:  in  the  City  —  Homes  in 
Edinburgh;  relation  to  the  law;  his  personal 
friends;  his  connection  with  the  Ballantynes  and 
publishing;  his  marriage  and  family;  the  building 
of  Abbotsford;   the  last  years. 

3.  As  a  Poet  —  Influence  of  ballads;  simplicity 
of  form. 

4.  Readings  from  His  Poetry — Lay  of  the  Last 
Minstrel;  Lady  of  the  Lake. 

5.  As  a  Novelist  —  The  anonymous  Waverley; 
rapidity  of  production;  historic  scope  of  the 
novels. 

6.  Readings  from  His  Novels  —  Guy  Mannering 
(Meg  Merrilies) ;  Ivanhoe  (the  tourney) ;  Heart  of 
Midlothian  (Effie  Deans). 


208       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Discussion  —  A  comparison  of  Scott  with 
later  writers  of  historical  novels. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Lockhart:  Life  of  Scott. 
R.  H.  Hutton:  Scott  (English  Men  of  Letters 
Series).  Washington  Irving's  account  of  his  visit 
to  Abbotsford. 

Have  a  talk  on  Scott's  romantic  love-story  and 
his  later  courtship  and  marriage.  Give  an  ac- 
count of  his  friendships,  especially  of  that  with 
Marjorie  Fleming,  and  read  from  Dr.  BrowTi's 
book  about  her  life.  Tell  of  the  dogs  Scott  loved. 
Describe  Abbotsford  and  IMelrose;  describe  his 
death  and  the  burial  at  Dryburgh;  use  as  many 
photographs  as  can  be  obtained. 

II  —  JANE   AUSTEN 

1.  The  Story  of  Jane  Austen's  Life  —  The 
county  society;  the  material  for  her  novels;  her 
method  of  composition. 

2.  Emma  and  Mansfield  Park  —  Analysis  of 
the  plots  and  the  characters.  Jane  Austen's 
men  and  her  women. 

3.  Jane  AusterCs  Masterpiece:  Pride  and  Prej- 
udice —  The  story.  The  author's  sense  of  humor. 
Readings:   The  ball;   Mr.  Collins'  letter,  etc. 

4.  The  Place  of  Jane  Austen  in  Modern  English 


AND    PROGRAMS  209 

Literature  —  The  pioneer  novelist  of  modern  so- 
ciety. Her  realism.  Estimates  by  Howells  and 
others. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Life  of  Jane  Austen, 
by  her  nephew,  J.  E.  Austen  Leigh.  Letters, 
edited  by  Lord  Brabourne.  Life,  by  Oscar  Fay 
Adams.    Life,  by  Walter  Pollock. 

Miss  Austen  is  a  charming  subject,  with  many 
points  of  interest.  The  family  life  at  Steventon  is 
one;  her  letter-writing  is  another;  her  meeting 
with  Thackeray  is  a  third.  Read  from  her  letters, 
her  brief  unfinished  comedy,  and  her  poem.  De- 
scribe her  burial-place  in  Winchester  Cathedral. 

Ill  —  CHARLOTTE   BRONTE 

1.  The  Story  of  her  Life  —  The  home  on  the 
moors  at  Haworth,  father  and  brother,  the  three 
brilliant  sisters;  boarding-school  life;  Brussels; 
her  literary  career,  marriage,  death. 

2.  The  Professor  and  Jane  Eyre  —  The  Pro- 
fessor: rejection  by  the  publishers.  Estimate  of  it 
to-day.  Jane  Eyre:  realistic  and  dramatic  qual- 
ities.    England's  disapproval. 

3.  Shirley  and  Villette  —  Shirley:  First  novel 
by  a  woman  dealing  with  the  industrial  problem. 
Its    realism.      Character    of    Shirley    contrasted 


210       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

with  that  of  Jane  Eyre.  Villette:  Local  color. 
Character  of  Madame  Beck. 

4.  Her  Personal  Experience  as  Reflected  in  Her 
Novels  —  The  moors,  boarding-school  experiences, 
life  in  Brussels,  the  manufacturing  region  of 
England. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Mrs.  Gaskell:  Life  of 
Charlotte  Bronte.  T.  W.  Reid:  Life  of  Charlotte 
Bronte.  Clement  Shorter:  Charlotte  Bronte  and 
Her  Circle. 

The  life  of  the  three  remarkable  sisters,  known 
at  the  time  as  Currer,  Acton  and  Ellis  Bell,  is 
full  of  deep  interest.  Illustrate  the  program  with 
readings  from  Charlotte's  Jane  Eyre,  Emily's 
Wuthering  Heights,  and  Anne's  Tenant  of  Wild- 
fell  Hall.  Read  a  few  of  their  verses  also.  Con- 
trast Charlotte  with  Jane  Austen.  Close  with 
several  brief  selections  from  Mrs.  Gaskell's  Life 
of  Charlotte. 

IV  —  THACKERAY 

1.  The  Story  of  His  Life  —  School  days  at  the 
Charterhouse.  Cambridge.  Study  of  art  abroad. 
The  Constitutional.  Newspaper  work.  His  mar- 
riage and  his  daughters.  His  first  novel.  His 
lectures.  The  English  Humorist,  and  later,  The 


AND    PROGRAMS  211 

Four  Georges.  Visits  to  America.  Attempt  at 
political  life.  Editor  of  Cornhill  Magazine.  Read 
Thackeray's  Death,  in  Spare  Hours,  by  Dr.  John 
Brown. 

2.  Vanity  Fair  —  The  novel  without  a  hero. 
Becky  Sharp:  intellect  minus  heart;  Amelia 
Sedley:  heart  minus  intellect.  Interest  of  the 
historical  setting.  Read  from  the  Duchess  of 
Richmond's  ball. 

3.  Henry  Esmond,  and  The  Virginians  —  Henry 
Esmond:  its  place  as  one  of  the  few  great  novels. 
The  historical  setting.  Character  of  Beatrix. 
Is  the  estimate  of  the  Duke  of  Marlborough  just? 
The  Virginians:  connection  with  Henry  Esmond. 
Is  the  American  color  correct?  Reading:  scene 
between  Beatrix  and  the  Pretender. 

4.  Pendennis,  and  The  Newcomes  —  Pendennis: 
London  newspaper  life.  Compare  the  characters 
of  Laura  and  Helen.  The  Newcomes:  most 
popular  of  the  novels.  Theme:  the  unhappy 
marriage.  The  character  of  Colonel  Newcome. 
Reading:  the  Charterhouse  and  the  death  of 
Colonel  Newcome. 

5.  Thackeray^ s  Place  in  the  Literary  World  — 
His  instant  success  as  a  novelist.  His  friendships 
among  men  of  letters.     His  warmth  of  affection. 


212       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Discussion    of   his   satire.      His   place   as   social 
preacher.    Is  Taine's  estimate  of  him  just.? 

Books  to  Consult  —  Biographical  and  Harry 
Furniss's  editions  of  the  novels  (introductions). 
Melvill:  Life  of  Thackeray.  Merivale  and  Mar- 
zials:  Life  of  Thackeray.  Chesterton :  Thackeray. 
Riding:   Thackeray's  London. 

V DICKENS 

1.  The  Man  and  the  Author  —  His  early  life 
of  hardship  and  the  material  it  furnished  him. 
Reminiscences  in  David  Copperfield.  Newspaper 
life  and  Sketches  by  Boz.  Origin  of  this  name. 
The  launching  of  Pickwick.  Growing  fame.  Mar- 
riage. Trips  to  America.  Dickens  as  actor  and 
reader.  Home  at  Gad's  Hill.  Grave  in  West- 
minster Abbey. 

2.  The  Humor  and  Pathos  of  Dickens  —  Pick- 
wick as  a  type  of  pure  humor.  The  grotesque, 
illustrated  by  Quilp,  Squeers,  Uriah  Heep.  The 
farcical,  as  illustrated  by  Micawber,  Pecksniff, 
and  Sarah  Gamp.  Pathos  in  Tiny  Tim,  Paul 
Dombey,  and  Little  Nell.  Reading  from  Bardell 
vs.  Pickwick,  and  the  death  of  Little  Nell  (Old 
Curiosity  Shop). 

3.  Dickens  as  a  Humanitarian  —  Little  Dorrit 


AND    PROGRAMS  213 

and  prison  reform.  Bleak  House  and  the  law's 
delay.  Nicholas  Nickleby  and  poor  ,schooIs. 
Oliver  Twist  and  youthful  criminals. 

4.  His  Greatest  Novel:  David  Copperfield  —  Dis- 
cuss the  plot  and  the  chief  characters.  Notice  the 
individuality  of  the  women:  Mrs.  Copperfield,  Miss 
Murdstone,  Betsy  Trotwood,  Peggotty,  Little 
Emily,  Dora,  and  Agnes. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Forster:  Life  of  Dickens. 
Letters  of  Charles  Dickens.  G.  K.  Chesterton: 
Charles  Dickens.     Gissing:    Charles  Dickens. 

A  paper  comparing  Dickens  and  Thackeray 
may  be  added  to  this  program,  for  Dombey  and 
Son,  Dickens's  sixth  successful  novel,  appeared 
the  same  year  as  Vanity  Fair,  Thackeray's  first. 
There  might  be  a  paper  on  The  Names  of  Dickens's 
Characters,  and  Where  He  Got  Them. 

VI TROLLOPE 

1.  His  Life  —  Son  of  the  novelist  Frances  M. 
Trollope.  Unhappy  life  at  Winchester  and 
Harrow.  In  the  postal  service.  (See  The  Three 
Clerks  for  the  examination  of  Charley  Tudor  — 
Trollope's  own  experience.)  Post-office  survey's 
in  Ireland.  Travels  on  post-office  business. 
Material  thus  gathered.    His  forty  novels.    First 


214       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

good  novel.  The  Warden.  The  idea  of  it 
suggested  while  wandering  about  Salisbury  Ca- 
thedral.    Popularity  and  large  earnings. 

2.  The  Barsetshire  Novels  —  Deal  with  upper 
middle  class,  especially  clergymen  and  their 
families.  Pictures  of  quiet  country  life.  Realism. 
Evenness  of  tone.  Favorite  situation:  the  man 
who  has  compromised  himself  and  is  in  danger  of 
ruin.  Description  of  the  leading  characters  in 
these  novels. 

3.  Four  Novels  —  Give  brief  sketch  of  plot  and 
description  of  the  chief  characters  in  Orley  Farm, 
Phineas  Finn,  The  Vicar  of  Bullhampton,  and 
Can  You  Forgive  Her.?  Readings  from  these 
books. 

4.  A  Comparison  of  Trollope  with  Dickens  and 
Thackeray  —  Their  materials,  plots,  methods  of 
treatment,  and  diverse  styles.  Their  relative 
popularity  and  standing  to-day.  Influence  of 
Thackeray  on  Trollope. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Anthony  Trollope:  Au- 
tobiography. Cross:  The  Development  of  the 
English  Novel.  Saintsbury:  English  Literature 
of  the  Nineteenth  Century. 

One  of  the  famous  women  in  the  books  of  this 
decade  is  Mrs.  Proudie,  the  wife  of  the  Bishop  of 


AND    PROGRAMS  215 

Barchester.  Read  a  description  of  her,  her  meth- 
ods of  management,  and  the  retribution  which 
overtook  her.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Slope  is  also  a  well- 
known  character  in  connection  with  the  Proudies. 

VII BULWER    LYTTON 

1.  Life  —  Birth  and  childhood.  Fondness  for 
medieval  romances  (compare  Sir  Walter  Scott). 
Cambridge  and  the  Chancellor's  gold  medal. 
Romantic  adventures  in  the  North.  Unhappy 
marriage.  Necessity  the  motive  to  work.  Twelve 
novels  in  ten  years.  His  plays.  Parliament. 
Colonial  secretaryship.  The  peerage.  West- 
minster   Abbey. 

2.  Novels  —  The  novel  of  society:  Pelham. 
The  novel  of  adventure:  Paul  Clifford.  The 
novel  of  crime:  Eugene  Aram.  The  novel  of 
domestic  life:  My  Novel.  The  novel  of  history: 
Last  Days  of  Pompeii. 

3.  Plays  —  Lady  of  Lyons,  Richelieu,  Money. 
Analysis  of  plots,  description  of  chief  characters, 
and   readings. 

4.  Critical  Estimate  of  His  Work  and  Place  in 
Literature. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Life  of  Bulwer  Lytton, 
by  his  Son.    Bulwer  Lytton's  Letters.    T.  H.  S. 


ne       WOMAN'S    CLUE    WORK 

Escott:  Edward  Bulwer.  Lewis  Melville:  Vic- 
torian Novelists.  J.  F.  Molloy:  Famous  Plays. 
Bulwer  Lytton  was  a  personage  in  society  in 
his  day.  Contrast  his  life  with  that  of  his  con- 
temporaries, Thackeray  and  Disraeli.  Compare 
Vanity  Fair  and  Coningsby  with  Pelham.  Dis- 
tinguish between  Bulwer  Lytton  and  his  son,  who 
was  viceroy  of  India  and  author  of  the  once-pop- 
ular Lucile.  Explain  why  Bulwer  Lytton'js  plays 
have  more  vitality  than  his  novels. 

VIII  —  GEORGE   ELIOT 

1.  The  Story  of  Her  Life  —  Materials  for  her 
novels  in  her  early  life.  Evangelical  training  and 
later  change  in  her  religious  views.  Life  with 
Lewes  and  his  encouragement  of  her  writing. 
Literary  friendships.    Marriage  to  Cross. 

2.  Scenes  from  Clerical  Life,  and  Silas  Marner  — 
Story  of  the  appearance  of  the  Scenes  and  of  her 
nom  de  plume.     Reading  from  Silas  Marner. 

3.  Adam  Bede  —  Study  of  Retribution.  Felix 
Holt  —  Study  of  labor.     Readings. 

4.  Mill  on  the  Floss  —  Study  of  family  life. 
Middlemarch  —  Study   of   selfishness.     Readings. 

5.  Romola  —  Study  of  historic  Florence.  Dan- 
iel Deronda  —  Study  of  the  Jew.     Readings. 


AND    PROGRAMS  217 

6.  Comparison  of  George  Eliot  with  T hacker  ay , 
Dickens,  and  Trollope  —  Her  ethical  quality  as  a 
writer. 

Books  to  Consult  —  J.  W.  Cross:  Life  of 
George  Eliot.  Oscar  Browning:  Life  of  George 
Eliot.  Mathilde  Blind:  George  Eliot.  C.  S.  01- 
cott:  George  Eliot:  Scenes  and  People  in  Her 
Novels,  illustrated  from  photographs.  Also  essays 
by  Sir  Leslie  Stephen,  E.  H.  A.  Scherer,  E.  Dow- 
den,  R.  H.  Hutton,  and  Henry  James. 

No  program  on  George  Eliot  would  be  com- 
plete without  a  brief  presentation  of  her  poetry. 
A  scene  may  be  read  from  the  Spanish  Gipsy,  a 
selection  from  How  Lisa  Loved  the  King,  and 
the  whole  of  the  beautiful  short  poem,  Oh  May  I 
Join  the  Choir  Invisible.  A  description  of  her 
grave  in  Highgate  Cemetery  in  London,  and  its 
inscription,  may  conclude. 

IX ROBERT    LOUIS    STEVENSON 

1.  Story  of  His  Life  —  Childhood  and  Edin- 
burgh University.  Travels  on  the  Continent. 
Trip  to  America.  First  writing  for  publication. 
Story  of  his  books.  Samoa.  Reading  of  passages 
from  his  letters. 

2.  Short    Stories  —  His    fantastic    imagination. 


218       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Style  and  how  he  cultivated  it.  Readings  from 
the  New  Arabian  Nights.  Analysis  of  Dr.  Jekyll 
and  Mr.  Hyde. 

3.  Essays  and  Sketches  —  Variety  of  subject 
and  versatility  of  treatment.  Readings  from 
Crabbed  Age  and  Youth.  John  Knox  and  Women, 
and  In  the  South  Seas. 

4.  Scotch  Adventures  —  Analysis  and  descrip- 
tion of  The  Master  of  Ballantrae,  Kidnapped, 
David  Balfour,  Weir  of  Hermiston.  Reading  from 
Kidnapped. 

5.  Varied  Romances  —  Treasure  Island,  Prince 
Otto,  The  Black  Arrow,  The  Wrecker,  The  Ebb 
Tide.  Note  the  great  variety  of  material.  Read- 
ing from  Treasure  Island. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Graham  Balfour:  Life 
of  Robert  Louis  Stevenson.  A.  H.  Japp:  Robert 
Louis  Stevenson.  John  Kelman:  The  Faith  of 
Robert  Louis  Stevenson.  Isobel  Osbourne  Strong: 
Robert  Louis  Stevenson. 

A  program  on  Stevenson  should  certainly  men- 
tion his  poems.  Read  from  his  A  Child's  Garden 
of  Verse.  Notice  also  his  prayers,  which  have  had 
large  circulation  and  use  in  the  religious  world. 
There  might  be  a  paper  on  the  varied  apprecia- 
tion of  Stevenson  by  his  biographers,  noting  es- 


AND    PROGRAMS  219 

pecially  Henley.  Show  pictures  of  Stevenson,  and 
especially  of  the  bas-relief  of  him  made  by  Saint- 
Gaudens  for  St.  Giles's  Cathedral  in  Edinburgh. 

X GEORGE   MEREDITH 

1.  The  Man  —  Story  of  his  life  and  remarkable 
friendships.  Peculiarities.  His  style  and  satire. 
Compare  his  prose  with  Browning's  verse.  Were 
they  purposely  obscure.^  Why  is  Meredith  not 
more  popular?  His  later  days.  Compare  him 
with  Dickens  and  Thackeray. 

2.  Richard  Feverel,  and  Beauchamp's  Career  — 
Analysis  of  the  plots  and  description  of  the  chief 
characters.  Have  these  books  a  moral?  Discuss 
the  novel  as  a  teacher  of  morals.    Readings. 

3.  The  Egoist  —  Analysis  of  the  plot  and 
description  of  the  chief  character,  Sir  Willoughby 
Patterne.  Is  his  refined  and  unconscious  selfish- 
ness a  common  occurrence?  Discuss  the  proper 
limits  of  egotism.     Quotation  of  clever  sayings. 

4.  Diana  of  the  Crossways,  One  of  Our  Con- 
querors, The  Shaving  of  Shagpat  —  Description 
in  detail  of  these  books,  and  their  purposes.  If 
possible,  indicate  any  characters  supposed  to  be 
from  life. 

Books  to  Consult  —  E.  J.  Bailey:  The  Novels 


220       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

of  George  Meredith.  Mrs.  M.  D.  Henderson: 
George  Meredith,  Novehst,  Poet,  Reformer.  R. 
Le  Gallienne:  George  Meredith,  Some  Character- 
istics. J.  W.  Beach:  The  Comic  Spirit  on  George 
Meredith. 

Have  a  brief  paper  on  George  Meredith  as  a 
poet  and  the  various  estimates  of  his  poetry  by 
Hterary  critics;  read  from  some  of  the  best- 
known  poems.  Indicate  Meredith's  relation  to 
the  Feminist  Movement.  Look  up  in  the  maga- 
zines published  at  the  time  of  his  death  something 
about  his  manuscripts  and  how  he  disposed  of 
them. 


AND    PROGRAMS  221 


CHAPTER  XV 

English  Novelists  of  To-day 
introduction 

There  is  at  the  present  day  a  more  than  usually 
interesting  group  of  writers  in  England.  Their 
personality  is  delightful,  and  their  point  of  view 
is  eminently  modern,  full  of  the  spirit  of  the  times. 
The  material  for  study  must  be  gleaned  largely 
from  magazine  articles,  and  by  looking  over  the 
files  of  such  publications  as  the  Review  of  Reviews, 
the  Literary  Digest,  the  Outlook,  and  the  Bookman 
there  will  be  found  sketches  of  the  lives  and  work 
of  all  those  given  here.  In  addition  the  New  Inter- 
national Encyclopaedia  has  biographical  sketches, 
and  Poole's  Index  and  other  reference  books  at  a 
public  library  will  direct  to  more  material. 

AH  programs  on  these  authors  should  be  ar- 
ranged in  four  parts:  first,  the  life  of  the  author, 
as  full  as  may  be,  with  sketches  of  his  experiences, 
his  home  circle,  his  friends,  his  methods  of  work; 
second,  a  criticism  of  his  writing,  his  style,  his  man- 
nerisms, the  general  trend  of  his  ideas,  and  some 


222        WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

mention  of  his  place  among  writers;  third,  read- 
ings from  several  of  his  books;  and  fourth,  a 
discussion  of  his  characters  by  the  club  members. 

In  place  of  one  of  these  topics,  some  clubs  may 
prefer  a  paper  showing  the  change  m  the  author's 
methods  and  style,  based  on  a  comparison  of 
his  earlier  and  later  writings. 

I  —  THOMAS   HABDY 

Thomas  Hardy  was  born  m  Dorsetshire  in 
1840,  and  educated  to  be  an  architect.  It  was  as 
a  rebuilder  of  old  churches  that  he  became  an 
antiquarian  and  then  a  student  of  rural  types, 
since  his  work  took  him  to  country  districts.  His 
own  county  lives  in  his  books  under  the  name  of 
"Wessex,  and  the  people  he  draws  are  taken  from 
life.  He  has  a  sympathetic  touch  in  dealing  with 
their  problems  and  peculiarities  which  comes  from 
close  contact  and  genume  affection. 

His  first  novel.  Under  the  Greenwood  Tree,  was 
followed  by  a  second  which  won  him  popularity. 
Far  from  the  Madding  Crowd.  This  appeared 
anonymously  as  a  serial,  and  at  the  time  was 
attributed  to  George  Eliot,  because  she  was 
thought  to  be  the  only  living  author  capable  of 
writing  it.     The  Return  of  the  Xative  is  perhaps 


AND    PROGRAMS  223 

his  most  characteristic  book,  although  in  Jude 
the  Obscure  he  shows  a  merciless  character  anal- 
ysis. But  in  Tess  of  the  D'Urberv^illes  he  reaches 
the  height  of  his  power.  It  is  a  story  of  tragedy, 
expressing  the  doctrine  that  man  must  reap  what 
he  has  sown.  Read  several  chapters  from  Tess 
and  discuss  the  stor^'. 

Hardy's  short  stories  also  are  well  known  and 
a  collection  called  Wessex  Tales  will  be  found 
excellent  for  selections  for  club  reading.  The 
Three  Strangers  is  generally  considered  his  best 
story.  Notice  the  descriptions  of  scenery,  the 
characteristics  of  the  country  people  and  their 
personalities.  Does  Hardy  show  a  lack  of  humor? 
Is  he  a  fatalist? 

n MAURICE    HEWLETT 

Maurice  Hewlett  was  born  in  London  in  1866, 
educated  there,  and  admitted  to  the  bar.  It  was 
in  the  midst  of  city  life  that  he  wrote  his  first 
novel,  The  Forest  Lovers,  which  he  has  ne\^er 
excelled  in  beauty  and  charm.  It  is  an  exquisite, 
simple  picture  of  life  in  the  Middle  Ages,  with  a 
lovely  romance  running  through  it.  Critics  tell 
us  that  of  all  his  contemporaries  he  has  best  in- 
terpreted medieval  thought  and  sentiment. 


224       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Later  he  wrote  other  novels  of  the  same  period, 
notably  Richard  Yea-and-Nay,  sometimes  called 
an  epic  story,  full  of  passion,  war  and  poetry.  It 
was  with  this  book  that  fame  came  to  Hewlett. 

In  The  Queen's  Quair  we  have  a  study  of 
Hilary,  Queen  of  Scots,  her  court  and  the  tragedy 
of  her  life.  The  Stooping  Lady  is  laid  in  the 
Eighteenth  Century,  but  the  author  shows  the 
same  peculiarity,  that  of  making  any  time  vividly 
real  and  preserving  the  atmosphere.  This  novel 
is  full  of  imagination,  yet  terse  and  clear.  Hewlett 
has  also  written  some  short  stories  of  a  delightful 
sort  —  Little  Novels  of  Italy  and  The  Madonna 
of  the  Peach  Tree,  quite  unlike  his  longer 
books. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  into  all  his  writings 
the  one  idea  is  woven  so  skilfully  as  to  be  almost 
imperceptible  —  of  the  progress  of  the  soul,  either 
upward  or  downward.  This  key  unlocks  many 
of  the  puzzling  passages,  especially  in  Richard 
Yea-and-Nay.  Clubs  can  follow  out  this  sugges- 
tion in  reading  his  books. 

Read  from  the  novels  mentioned;  note  the 
strength  of  Jehan  and  the  subtlety  of  Mary. 
Read  also  from  his  three  delightfid  out-of-door 
stories  of  to-day.  Half- Way  House,  Open  Country, 


AND    PROGRAMS  225 

and  Rest  Harrow.     Compare  the  descriptions  of 
scenery  in  England,  Scotland,  France  and  Italy. 

Ill MRS.    HUMPHRY    WARD 

Mrs.  Humphry  Ward,  bom  of  English  parents 
in  Tasmania  in  1851,  lived  in  Oxford  and  was 
educated  in  the  Lake  Country.  The  granddaugh- 
ter of  Thomas  Arnold  of  Rugby,  and  the  niece 
of  Matthew  Arnold,  she  inherited  a  strong  moral 
sense  which  was  increased  by  the  atmosphere 
of  her  home,  and  grew  up  feeling  that  life  was 
full  of  ethical  problems.  She  married  an  Oxford 
tutor,  moved  to  London,  wrote  reviews,  trans- 
lated Amiel's  Journal  into  English,  and  then  in 
1888  wrote  her  first  novel,  Robert  Elsmere,  a 
brilliant  presentation  of  the  religious  diflSculties 
of  a  young  clergyman,  leading  to  his  abandonment 
of  orthodoxy.  It  attracted  so  much  attention  that 
Gladstone  thought  it  worth  his  while  to  review 
it  and  combat  its  views. 

She  wrote  later  The  History  of  David  Grieve, 
contrasting  the  spiritual  development  of  a  brother 
and  a  sister.  This  is  called  her  most  vital  book. 
Marcella,  her  most  powerful  book,  deals  with  the 
problem  of  socialism  in  England.  Then  came  Sir 
George  Tressady,  Eleanor,  Lady  Rose's  Daughter, 


^26       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Fenwick's  Career,  and  others.     Her  later  books, 
if  more  finished,  lack  the  strength  of  her  earlier. 

Mrs.  Ward  has  often  been  compared  with 
George  Eliot;  clubs  will  find  it  interesting  to 
note  resemblances  and  differences  and  compare 
heroines  and  plots.  Which  of  the  two  best  con- 
cealed the  moral  purpose  both  used  as  the  theme 
of  their  books?  Read  from  several  of  Mrs.  Ward's 
earlier  volumes  and  also  some  selections _  from 
George  Eliot's  Adam  Bede  and  Romola.  Discuss 
the  sense  of  humor  shown  by  the  two  authors. 

IV  —  HALL   CAINE 

Hall  Caine,  though  of  Manx  descent,  was  bom 
in  Cheshire  in  1853,  but  he  has  always  seemed  less 
of  an  Englishman  than  a  Manxman.  His  stories 
all  have  the  atmosphere  of  the  little  Isle  of  Man, 
and  his  plots  are  laid  there.  Yet  he  lived  in 
London  as  architect,  journalist,  novelist,  and 
dramatist.  There  is  much  that  is  interesting 
about  his  life,  especially  the  year  that  he  spent 
with  Rossetti. 

His  best  books  are  The  Shadow  of  a  Crime, 
The  Deemster,  The  Bondman,  The  Scapegoat, 
and  The  Christian.  In  all  of  them  there  is  a  defi- 
nite sombemess,  a  noticeable  element  of  tragedy, 


AND    PROGRAMS  22 


/2/i/ 


only  slightly  relieved  by  the  lighter  aspects  of  life. 
His  novels  deal  with  profound  issues. 

Clubs  should  notice  the  relations  of  fathers  and 
sons  in  the  books  mentioned.  Discuss  the  prob- 
lems presented;  read  the  descriptions  of  Manx 
life  among  the  people;  compare  the  heroes.  Read 
several  of  the  dramatic  chapters  from  The  Scape- 
goat and  The  Deemster.  Does  the  play  The 
Christian  show  more  strength  than  the  novel  of 
the  same  name.^* 

V STANLEY   J.    WEYMAN 

In  striking  contrast  with  this  last  novelist  is 
Stanley  J.  Weyman,  the  writer  of  fascinating 
historical  novels  which  rank  among  the  very  first 
of  their  kind.  Born  in  Shropshire  in  1855  and 
educated  at  Oxford,  he  became  first  a  lawyer 
and  then  a  novelist.  His  Gentleman  of  France 
brought  him  immediately  into  prominence. 

The  scenes  of  most  of  his  books  are  laid  in 
France,  either  in  the  period  of  the  Great  Cardinal, 
or  later  in  that  of  the  Revolution.  They  are 
crowded  with  adventure,  the  plots  are  of  absorb- 
ing interest  and  his  characters  are  full  of  life  and 
individuality.  The  times  of  which  he  writes  are 
described  with  accurate  fidelity,  and  his  pictures 


228       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

of  the  court,  of  campaigning,  of  travel,  of  village 
life,  are  romantic  yet  historically  correct.  Under 
the  Red  Robe,  The  Red  Cockade,  The  Castle  Inn, 
and  The  Abbess  of  Vlaye  are  all  fascinating. 
Read  from  any  one  of  these  and  then  from  a 
good  history  giving  an  idea  of  the  same  period, 
and  note  the  precise  study  Weyman  gave  to  his 
settings. 

A  paper  might  be  prepared  on  Sir  Walter  Scott, 
Dumas,  Hewlett  and  Weyman  as  historical  novel- 
ists. The  differences  might  be  brought  out  by 
comparing  the  character  of  Richard  Coeur  de 
Lion  in  The  Talisman  and  Richard  Yea-and- 
Nay,  and  that  of  Richelieu  in  The  Three  Mus- 
keteers and  Under  the  Red  Robe. 

VI  —  JAMES   M.    BARRIE 

James  M.  Barrie  is  a  Scotchman,  born  in  1860 
and  educated  at  Edinburgh  University.  He  knows 
thoroughly  his  own  people.  He  does  not  write 
with  any  defined  moral  purpose,  nor  does  he  have 
any  great  events  to  record;  but  he  has  in  an 
unusual  degree  the  power  to  charm.  His  sym- 
pathetic insight,  delightfully  sly  humor,  play  of 
fancy  and  light  touch  of  pathos  are  all  unique. 

A  Window  in  Thrums,  describing  the  lives  of 


AND    PROGRAMS  229 

the  weavers,  so  apart  from  the  world  yet  so  full 
of  interest,  Auld  Licht  Idylls,  with  its  amusing 
difficulties  of  the  old  churches,  and  Margaret 
Ogilvy,  the  exquisite  portrait  of  the  author's 
mother,  are  unsurpassed  in  delicate  beauty.  In 
Sentimental  Tommy,  Tommy  and  Grizel,  and  The 
Little  Minister  there  is  more  of  plot  and  more 
also  of  a  certain  gaiety.  The  Little  White  Bird 
shows  the  fancy  which  comes  out  more  strongly 
in  the  incomparable  Peter  Pan. 

Read  from  as  many  of  Barrie's  books  as  possible, 
and  then  discuss  his  work  as  a  playwright.  Do 
his  books  lend  themselves  to  the  stage .^^  Let 
those  who  have  seen  The  Little  Minister,  The 
Admirable  Crichton,  Peter  Pan  and  Little  Mary 
describe  them. 

VII  HORATIO    GILBERT    PARKER 

Horatio  Gilbert  Parker,  now  Sir  Gilbert,  is 
both  English  and  Canadian.  His  career  has  been 
marked  by  a  great  variety  of  experience,  as  his 
books  show.  Born  in  Ontario  in  1862,  he  became 
a  teacher,  then  a  curate,  then  an  instructor  in  a 
deaf  and  dumb  asylum,  went  to  Australia  for  his 
health  and  there  took  up  journpdism  and  play- 
writing,  returned  to  Canada  and  became  a  novel- 


230       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

ist.  Later  he  decided  to  live  in  England  and  went 
into  Parliament.  Many  of  his  earlier  novels  are  of 
Canadian  life.  When  Valmond  Came  to  Pontiac, 
The  Seats  of  the  Mighty,  and  The  Right  of  Way 
are  among  the  best  of  his  early  books.  Later  he 
wrote  The  Weavers,  a  strange  mingling  of  East 
and  West  in  the  story  of  a  Quaker  in  modern 
Egypt.  His  best  recent  novel  is  The  Judgment 
House,  having  for  its  theme  English  society  jn  the 
time  of  the  Boer  War.  His  versatility  in  turning 
from  one  scene  to  another,  and  from  one  type  of 
character  to  another,  is  remarkable.  Canada, 
Egypt,  London,  and  Africa  are  all  familiar  ground 
to  him,  and  trappers,  Indians,  Frenchmen  of  the 
seventeenth  century,  and  men  and  women  of  to- 
day in  cities  are  all  equally  well  drawn.  His 
early  style  was  perhaps  too  diffuse,  but  his  later 
stories  are  briefer  and  more  direct.  Read  from 
The  Seats  of  the  Mighty  and  The  Judgment 
House.  Note  his  different  types  in  his  books  and 
discuss  them.  Read  also  from  the  scenes  in  the 
different  countries  and  see  the  local  color. 

VIII  —  HERBERT   G.    WELLS 

Herbert  G.  Wells  was  bom  in  Kent  in  1866. 
He  had  a  scientific  training,  and  his  first  book  was 


AND    PROGRAMS  231 

a  text  book  on  biology.  Later  he  became  one  of 
the  staff  of  The  Saturday  Review  and  then  com- 
bined science  and  literature  in  a  series  of  romantic 
novels :  His  Time  Machine,  The  Wheels  of  Chance 
and  The  War  of  the  Worlds  are  all  stories  in  which 
his  scientific  education  was  utilized.  In  1906  he 
came  to  America  to  study  social  conditions  and 
since  then  has  written  two  books  in  quite  another 
vein  —  Tono  Bungay,  a  story  of  finance,  and 
Marriage,  a  study  of  modern  conditions  of  love 
and  society. 

His  earlier  work  is  marked  by  wild  imagination ; 
his  later  by  swift  analysis  and  warm  sympathy. 
Compare  the  realistic  description  of  village  life  in 
Part  I.  of  Tono  Bungay  with  that  of  the  Five 
Towns  in  Arnold  Bennett's  Old  Wives'  Tale, 
mentioned  later.    Note  Wells's  socialistic  leanings. 

Read  from  The  War  of  the  Worlds  and  Mar- 
riage. Contrast  the  two  styles;  discuss  the  char- 
acter of  Marjorie  in  the  latter;  is  she  a  possible 
woman? 

IX  —  WILLIAM   J.    LOCKE 

William  J.  Locke,  born  of  English  parents  in 
Barbadoes  in  1863,  was  educated  at  Cambridge, 
where  he  took  the  highest  honors  in  mathematics. 


232       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

He  became  a  teacher,  and  it  was  only  after  years 
of  hated  drudgery  that  he  obtamed  a  secretary's 
position  and  leisure  to  write.  For  long  his  novels 
were  little  known,  though  At  the  Gate  of  Samaria, 
The  Derelicts,  Idols,  and  The  White  Dove  were 
all  full  of  interest  and  promise.  Then  with  The 
Morals  of  Marcus  Ordeyne,  called  his  greatest 
book,  and  The  Beloved  Vagabond,  his  most  popu- 
lar, he  suddenly  became  famous.  Septimus,  Simon 
the  Jester  and  The  Glory  of  Clementina  have  fol- 
lowed one  another  rapidly,  and  Septimus  has  been 
dramatized. 

Locke's  style  is  so  easy  as  to  conceal  its  art. 
His  plots  are  lightly  constructed  and  many  of 
his  novels  have  unexpected  endings.  His  men  are 
much  alike,  but  so  delightful  that  no  one  would 
have  them  altered.  Each  has  a  certain  chivalry, 
an  ability  to  endure  hardships,  a  lack  of  practical 
judgment,  but  a  simple  goodness  that  is  irresistible. 
Their  humor  is  charming,  and  their  gentle  philos- 
ophy convincing.  Locke  holds  the  theory  that 
life  should  be  accepted  cheerfully;  this  is  his 
dominant  theme. 

Clubs  should  read  the  amusing  diatribe  against 
teaching,  and  especially  against  teaching  mathe- 
matics, in  Marcus.     Read  also  the  first  and  last 


AND    PROGRAMS  233 

chapters  of  the  Vagabond  and  Clementina.    Com- 
pare his  women  and  his  men. 

X  —  ARNOLD   BENNETT 

Arnold  Bennett,  in  many  ways  the  most 
talked-of  English  author  living,  was  born  in 
Staffordshire  in  1867  in  a  district  known  as  "  The 
Potteries,"  or  "The  Five  Towns."  Here  are 
furnaces,  collieries,  manufactories  and  a  people 
whose  interests  are  made  narrow  and  provincial 
by  the  restricted  boundaries  of  their  lives. 

Bennett  went  to  London,  became  a  journalist, 
an  essayist,  an  editor,  a  novelist,  and  a  playwright. 
He  lived  for  a  time  in  Paris  and  traveled  exten- 
sively, and  he  has  made  use  of  his  varied  ex- 
periences in  his  writings. 

He  has  some  remarkable  books,  long,  careful, 
full  of  psychological  problems.  His  Old  Wives' 
Tale,  Anna  of  the  Five  Towns  and  Clay-hanger 
all  deal  with  the  place  and  the  people  with  which 
he  was  first  familiar,  and  are  graphic  pictures  of 
types.  In  Hilda  Less  ways  he  presents  a  study 
rather  unlike  those  in  his  first  books,  and  in  Denry 
the  Audacious  and  Buried  Alive  he  has  quite 
another  manner  and  keener  humor. 

He  is  smgularly  direct  and  painstaking  in  his 


234        WOAIAXS    CLUB    WORK 

work,  a  master  of  realism.  For  sheer  observation, 
says  one  critic,  he  is  miequaled.  Of  late  he  has 
visited  America  and  made  a  close  and  remark- 
ably sympathetic  study  of  our  countn',  our  cities, 
our  manners. 

Take  up  Bennett  also  as  a  playwright,  and  note 
the  good  work  he  has  done  in  this  field;  contrast 
his  plays  with  his  earher  books.  Read  from  Hilda 
Lessways  and  from  the  graphic  description  ^f  the 
siege  of  Paris  in  the  Old  Wives'  Tale,  and  also 
a  descriptive  chapter  from  the  Five  Towns.  Com- 
pare his  realistic  work  with  that  of  Henrv*  James, 
and  note  the  differences.  Quote  from  his  little 
essay.  How  to  Live  on  Twenty -four  Hours  a  Day. 

Clubs  which  wish  programs  for  more  than  ten 
meetings  may  take  in  addition  to  the  authors 
already  suggested  these  others: 

De  ^Morgan :  read  Joseph  Vance,  Ahce  for  Short, 
and  An  Affair  of  Dishonor.  Conan  Doyle:  Adven- 
tures of  Sherlock  Holmes,  The  "WTiite  Company. 
Eden  Phillpotts:  Knock  at  a  Venture,  The  Port- 
reeve, The  Secret  Woman.  A.  E.  W.  Mason:  Four 
Feathers,  The  Truants,  Courtship  of  Morrice. 
Robert  Hichens:  The  Garden  of  AUah,  The 
Dweller  on  the  Threshold.     Anthony  Hope:  The 


AND    PROGRAMS  235 

Prisoner  of  Zenda,  The  Dolly  Dialogues,  Quisante. 
Agnes  and  Egerton  Castle:  The  Pride  of  Jennico, 
If  Youth  But  Knew,  The  Secret  Garden.  E.  F. 
Benson:  The  Challoners,  An  Act  in  a  Backwater, 
The  Luck  of  the  Vails.  May  Siuclair:  The  Divine 
Fire,  The  Judgment  of  Eve.  Mrs.  Henrj^  Dudeney : 
The  Battle  of  the  Weak,  The  Stor^-  of  Susan. 

Detailed  criticisms  and  complete  bibliographies 
of  many  novelists  here  mentioned  may  be  found 
in  Some  English  Story  Tellers  by  F.  T.  Cooper 
(1912). 


236       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 


CHAPTER  XVI 

The  Gilded  Age  of  Louis  XIV 

I  —  THE   KING 

1.  The  Story  of  His  Life. 

2.  The  Splendor  of  the  Court  —  Compulsory 
residence  of  the  nobles  at  Versailles;  Louis's  dis- 
like and  fear  of  Paris;  effect  politically  of  the 
segregation  of  the  court. 

3.  The  Great  Ministers  —  Mazarin,  Colbert, 
Louvois;   relation  of  the  king  to  them. 

4.  The  Women  of  the  Court  —  Louise  de  la 
Valliere,  Madame  de  Montespan,  Madame  de 
Maintenon. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Guizot:  History  of 
France.  De  Nolhac:  Versailles.  Heroes  of  the 
Nations  Series:  Louis  XIV.  A.  Hassall:  Louis 
XIV.  and  Madame  de  Maintenon.  Lady  Blenner- 
hasset. 

Study  everything  relating  to  Versailles,  to 
which  Louis  moved  the  court;  show  pictures  of 
the  famous  gardens,  the  fountain  at  play,  the 
palace.     Read  a  description  of  some  fete:    de- 


AND    PROGRAMS  237 

scribe  the  Grand  Trianon  and  its  social  life.    Show 
pictures  of  Louis. 

II  —  SOCIAL   FRANCE   UNDER   LOUIS   XIV 

1.  Manners  of  the  Time  —  Court  etiquette. 
Excessive  fondness  of  the  king  for  it,  and  his 
strict  insistence  on  it.  Quote  from  the  numerous 
memoirs  of  the  time,  descriptions  of  the  palace 
ceremonial  (Madame  de  Sevigne,  Saint  Simon, 
etc.). 

2.  Amusements  of  the  Court  —  Receptions  and 
functions.  Fetes.  Hunting.  Theatricals.  Card 
games  and  gambling. 

3.  Women  of  the  Court  —  The  Queen,  La 
Grande  Mademoiselle,  Madame  de  la  Valliere, 
Madame  de  Montespan,  Madame  de  Maintenon, 
Madame  de  Sevigne  and  her  circle.  Dress  of  the 
time. 

4.  Social  Morals  —  Distinction  between  the 
morals  of  the  court  and  those  of  the  common 
people.  Growing  popular  dissatisfaction,  and  its 
later  tragic  consequences. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Hassall :  Louis  XIV. 
and  the  Zenith  of  the  French  Monarchy.  Vol- 
taire: The  Age  of  Louis  XIV.  Guizot:  History  of 
France  (Vol.  IV.,  particularly  the  last  chapter). 


238       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

A  most  interesting  short  paper  might  be  pre- 
pared on  the  odd  people  of  the  time:  Scarron; 
The  Man  in  the  Iron  Mask;  famous  fortune- 
tellers. Show  pictures  of  some  of  the  court 
beauties,  to  illustrate  the  dress  of  the  women  of 
the  period,  and  also  a  cut  of  Louis  in  his  wig 
and  high-heeled  shoes,  taken  from  any  history  of 
France. 

Ill  —  PARIS  UNDER   LOUIS  XIV 

1.  The  City  —  Area  and  population  as  com- 
pared with  those  of  to-day.  Show  maps  of  both 
periods.  Colbert:  story  of  his  life  and  his  re- 
making of  Paris.  The  destruction  of  the  old  walls 
and  the  beginning  of  the  boulevards.  Lenotre 
and  his  landscape-gardening  (the  garden  of  the 
Tuileries).  Laying  out  of  the  Places  Vendome, 
des  Victoires,  du  Carrousel. 

2.  Public  Buildings  —  The  architects  Perrault 
and  Mansart  and  their  work.  Description  of 
buildings  erected  under  Louis:  the  Invalides, 
Bibliotheques  du  Roi  and  Mazarin,  Academic, 
Gobelins,  Comedie  Frangaise,  etc.  Gates:  St. 
Denis,  St.  Martin,  etc.    Quai  d'Orsay. 

3.  Churches  of  the  Day  —  Val-de-Grace  and 
the  birth  of  Louis.     St.  Roch:    its  erection  and 


AND    PROGRAMS  239 

later  connection  with  French  history.  Notre 
Dame  and  its  ceremonies.  St.  Denis  and  the 
royal  tombs. 

4.  Great  Events  in  Paris  under  Louis  —  Royal 
spectacles,    executions,    mobs. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Larousse  (under  the 
word  Paris,  for  those  who  read  French).  Ham- 
erton:  Paris  in  Old  and  Present  Times.  Hare: 
Walks  in  Paris.     De  Amicis:    Studies  in  Paris. 

The  subject  of  the  dwellings  of  the  common 
people  of  this  time  deserves  study:  their  bareness, 
absence  of  sanitation,  water-supply,  lack  of  con- 
veniences and  utensils.  Also,  the  people's  employ- 
ments, food,  dress,  amusements,  doctors  and 
medicine  and  care  of  the  sick  and  the  relation 
of  the  priest  to  the  family:  christenings,  weddings, 
and  funerals.  Material  may  be  found  in  the 
histories,  the  encyclopaedias  (particularly  La- 
rousse), memoirs,  the  novels  of  Dumas,  Duraas's 
Paris,  etc. 

IV  —  THE  WARS  of  LOUIS  XIV 

1.  The  Foreign  Relations  of  the  Reign  —  Mazarin 
and  the  Peace  of  Westphalia.  Death  of  Philip  IV. 
of  Spain  and  Louis's  claim  to  the  Netherlands. 
League  with  Charles  II.  of  England.    Discuss  the 


240       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

question   whether   Charles   was   in   Louis's   pay. 
Opposition  from  Wilham  III.  of  England. 

2.  Enlargement  of  Army  and  Navy  —  Harbors 
and  ships  of  Brest,  Toulon,  etc.  Constructive 
work  of  Louvois  and  Vauban.  Their  theories  of 
war.    Are  they  still  held? 

3.  The  Foreign  Wars  of  Louis  —  Against  Hol- 
land: Peace  of  Nymwegen.  In  the  Palatinate: 
Peace  of  Ryswick.  War  of  the  Spanish  Succes- 
sion: Peace  of  Utrecht.  Territories  won  and 
lost  by  Louis  in  these  wars. 

4.  The  Two  Wars  of  the  Fronde. 

5.  The  Great  Generals  of  Louis  XIV.  —  Turenne, 
Conde,  Luxembourg,  Vendome. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Martin :  History  of 
France.  Hassall:  Louis  XIV.  and  the  Zenith  of 
the  French  Monarchy.  Mahon:  History  of 
the  War  of  the  Succession  in  Spain.  Fitz- 
patrick:  The  Great  Conde  and  the  Period  of  the 
Fronde. 

An  interesting  supplementary  paper  could  be 
added  to  this  program  on  The  Art  of  Warfare  in 
the  Seventeenth  Century;  describe  the  formation 
of  the  army  lines  for  battle;  the  equipment  of  the 
soldiers,  the  discipline,  the  tents,  the  commis- 
sariat, the  cannon,  swords,  and  other   arms;  the 


AND   PROGRAMS  241 

pay  of  the  soldiers;  their  manners  and  morals; 
the  relation  of  the  officers  to  the  men.  Some  one 
battle  may  be  described  in  detail  to  illustrate  the 
methods  employed  on  the  field. 

V  —  LITERATURE  (pART  l) 

1.  The  Academy  —  Unofficial  founding  by  Con- 
rart  in  1629.  Official  standing  six  years  later. 
Relation  of  Richelieu  to  it.  Its  dictionary.  Total 
effect  of  this  distinguished  society  on  French 
literature. 

2.  Romances  of  Chivalry  —  Give  an  account  of 
Madame  de  Scudery  and  a  description  of  Clelie 
and  the  Grand  Cyrus.  Discuss  also  Honore 
d'Urfe  and  the  Astree.  Note  the  probable  in- 
fluence of  the  English  writer,  Lyly. 

3.  Moralists  — -  La  Fontaine.  Saint  Evremond. 
La  Rochefoucauld.    La  Bruyere. 

4.  Philosophers  —  Descartes.  Pascal.  Male- 
branche.  Bayle.  Readings  from  Pascal's  Pen- 
sees.     (Many  translations.) 

5.  Great  Preachers  —  Bossuet.  Fenelon.  Mas- 
sillon.  Bourdaloue.  Readings  from  translations, 
especially  the  famous  introduction  to  Massillon's 
funeral  oration  on  Louis  XIV. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Brunetiere:    Manual  of 


242       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

French  Literature.  Dowden:  History  of  French 
Literature.  Van  Laun:  History  of  French  Liter- 
ature. 

The  material  for  this  meeting  is  very  great, 
especially  on  the  biographical  side.  Interesting 
brief  papers  might  be  prepared  on  any  of  the 
names  mentioned.  Sainte-Beuve,  considered  by 
many  to  be  the  greatest  of  critics,  has  essays  on 
all  of  the  writers  named,  and  readings  from  his 
Causeries  de  Lundi  (translated  now)  would  be 
delightful. 

VI  —  THE   DRAMA    UNDER   LOUIS   XIV 

1.  Corneille  —  Story  of  his  life.  Readings 
from  the  Cid,  Horace,  and  Polyeucte.  (Transla- 
tion by  Nokes.) 

2.  Racine  —  Relation  to  Port-Royal.  Ode  on 
the  marriage  of  the  king.  Classical  subjects. 
Esther  and  Athalie,  his  masterpiece,  written  at 
the  request  of  Madame  de  Maintenon  for  her 
young  ladies  at  St.  Cyr.  Readings  from  Andro- 
maque,  Phedre,  and  Athalie.  (Bohn's  transla- 
tion.) 

3.  Moliere  —  Early  life  as  a  strolling  player. 
Rescue  of  his  company  from  failure  by  his  own 
writings.     Paris  and  the  favor  of  the  Due  d'Or- 


AND    PROGRAMS  243 

leans.  Failure  in  tragedy;  success  in  comedy. 
Taken  up  by  the  king.  Royal  fetes.  Limitations 
of  this  work.  First  characteristic  play:  L'Ecole 
des  Femmes.  Moliere  as  the  greatest  of  comedy- 
writers.  Readings  from  Tartuffe,  Le  Misanthrope, 
Le  Medecin  Malgre  Lui.  Les  Femmes  Savantes. 
(Many  translations.  Curtis  Hidden  Page's  is 
fine.) 

Books  to  Consult  —  Guizot:  Corneille  and 
His  Times.  Trollope:  Corneille  and  Racine. 
Hatton:  Life  of  Mohere.  Brander  Matthews: 
Great  Plays  (French  and  German),  with  notes. 
(Contains  Le  Cid,  Horace,  Polyeucte,  and  Tar- 
tuffe.) 

As  Moliere  is  unquestionably  the  great  drama- 
tist of  the  period,  devote  the  day  largely  to  him. 
Read  from  Chatfield-Taylor's  Pathway  to  Fame, 
which  gives  the  dramatist's  life  as  a  strolling 
player.  Describe  one  of  the  fetes  for  which  he 
wrote  his  little  farces  and  ballets.  Have  a  brief 
talk  on  the  advance  in  stage-setting  at  this 
time,  due  to  the  unlimited  sums  Louis  spent 
on  his  fetes,  and  the  employment  of  the  great- 
est artists  for  the  scenery.  Compare  this  with 
the  setting  of  the  stage  in  Shakespeare's 
theater. 


244       WOMAN'S    CLUE    WORK 

VII ART 

1.  Architecture  —  Mansart,  Perrault,  Lemer- 
cier.  Some  tof  the  great  public  buildings  built 
during  this  reign.     Show  photographs. 

2.  Painting  —  Lebrun  (foundation  of  the 
Louvre  collection).  Lesueur,  Mignard,  Philippe 
de  Champaigne,  Largilliere,  Watteau.  Portraits 
of  the  King. 

3.  Sculpture  —  Puget,  Sarazin,  Coysevox.  Pho- 
tographs of  surviving  examples. 

4.  Music  —  Founding  of  modern  musical  drama 
by  Mazarin  (Strozzi's  opera-bouffe  in  the  Louvre, 
in  1645).     Cambert,  L'Abbe  Perrin,  Lulli. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Louis  Hourticq:  Art 
in  France.  R.  G.  Kingsley:  History  of  French 
Art.  Bourgeois:  France  under  Louis  XIV.  W. 
H.  Ward:  Architecture  of  the  Renaissance  in 
France.  Esther  Singleton:  French  and  English 
Furniture. 

Louis  was  a  wonderful  art  patron,  and  spent 
enormous  sums  upon  artistic  objects.  He  brought 
from  Antwerp  a  group  of  three  great  engravers. 
He  established  the  Bcauvais  and  Gobelins  man- 
ufactories of  tapestry.  Porcelain  was  made  at 
Saint  Cloud.     Furniture  was  designed  by  Ballin 


AND    PROGRAMS  245 

and  Boule.     Lenotre  led  the  world  in  the  art  of 
landscape-gardening. 

VIII  —  THE   KING   AND   THE   CHURCH 

1.  The  King^s  Personal  Religion  —  Ecclesias- 
tical and  political  rather  than  ethical.  His  de- 
votions and  his  morals.  Effect  of  Madame  de 
Maintenon's  influence  in  later  years. 

2.  Two  Great  Prelates  and  Their  Feud  —  Bossuet ; 
his  ability,  temper,  and  commanding  influence. 
Fenelon:  story  of  his  life;  influence  on  the  Duke 
of  Burgundy;  reading  from  Telemaque.  The 
fundamental  difference  in  the  two  men's  concep- 
tion of  religion. 

3.  New  Movements  —  Protestantism :  suppres- 
sion by  the  state.  Revocation  of  the  Edict  of 
Nantes.  Jansenism:  Jansen  and  his  book;  its 
meaning.  Demolition  of  the  Abbey  of  Port- 
Royal.  Quietism:  Story  of  Madame  Guy  on  and 
reading  from  her  life  (Upham's  edition). 

4.  The  King  and  the  Jesuits  —  Origin  of  the 
order  and  its  purposes.  Edicts  for  and  against 
the  Jesuits,  and  reasons  for  them.  Power  and 
success  of  Pere  LeTellier.  Reading  from  Pascal's 
Provincial  Letters. 

Books  to  Consult  —  The  Cambridge  Modern 


246       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

History:  vol.  v.,  chap.  iv.  Guizot:  History  of 
France:  vol.  iv.,  chap,  xlvii.  Jervis:  History  of 
the  Church  in  France.  Samte-Beuve:  Causeries 
du  Lundi  (many  are  translated). 

As  Louis  seldom  went  to  Paris,  the  chapel  in 
the  palace  at  Versailles  became  the  scene  of  the 
most  important  ecclesiastical  functions,  and  hence 
is  of  special  interest.  A  description  of  its  interior 
should  be  given,  and  photographs  of  it  should  be 
shown.  A  supplementary  paper  should  take  up 
Madame  de  Maintenon  and  her  relation  to  the  king 
and  the  Church.  Lady  Blennerhasset's  book  will 
be  found  of  value  in  this  connection. 

IX THE    STORY    OF    PORT-ROYAL 

1.  The  Convent  —  Its  location,  origin,  and 
early  history.  Fashionable  patronage  and  re- 
laxation of  the  rules.  Angelique  Arnauld.  The 
Paris  House,  now  the  Musee  de  Cluny. 

2.  Educational  System  —  The  lay  brothers  in 
the  original  house.  Antoine  Arnauld,  the  De 
Sacys,  Nicole.  Their  text-books:  grammars, 
geometry,  logic.  Place  m  the  history  of  educa- 
tion. 

3.  The  Jansenist  Movement  —  Story  of  Jansen 
and  his  famous  book.    Notable  people  who  were 


AND    PROGRAMS  247 

influenced  by  it.  How  it  made  trouble  for  Port- 
Royal.  Antagonism  of  the  Jesuits,  reason  of  it, 
development  of  the  feud. 

4.  Suppression  of  the  Institution  —  Reasons  for 
the  hostility  of  Louis  XIV.  Story  of  the  disper- 
sion of  the  nuns,  described  at  length  by  Schimmel- 
penninck.    Destruction  of  the  beautiful  buildings. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Charles  Beard :  Port- 
Royal.  Ethel  Duncan  Romanes:  The  Story  of 
Port-Royal.  Felix  Cadet:  Port-Royal  Educa- 
tion. Sainte-Beuve:  Port-Royal.  (In  French, 
not  translated.) 

Prepare  a  supplementary  paper  on  the  Puritan 
Spirit  in  Human  Nature.  This  constantly  re- 
appears in  history  (see  the  Stoics),  and  is  rep- 
resented in  France  in  this  period  by  this  Jansenist 
movement.  An  interesting  paper  might  be  written 
on  Jacqueline  Pascal,  the  sister  of  the  great  phi- 
losopher, and  the  celebrated  episode  of  her  healing, 
which  had  far-reaching  consequences. 

X  —  FAMOUS  MEMOIRS   OF   THE   TIME 

1.  Cardinal  de  Retz  —  Story  of  his  adventurous 
life:  description  of  his  appearance  and  personal 
characteristics.  Relation  to  the  Fronde.  Riche- 
lieu's opinion  of  him  and  relation  to  him. 


248       WOMAN'S    CLUB   WORK 

2.  The  Due  de  Saint-Simon  —  Personal  history. 
Relation  to  the  King  and  the  court.  Reason  for 
writing:  the  servile  tone  of  the  memoirs  of  the 
Marquis  de  Dangeau.  Saint-Simon's  independ- 
ence and  frankness  of  criticism.  "  The  Tacitus 
of  French  History."  Compare  with  Pepys.  Read 
descriptions  of  court  life  and  personal  passages. 

3.  Madame  de  Sevigne  —  Story  of  her  life  and 
that  of  her  daughter.  Her  education  and  relation 
to  the  great  world.  Style.  Readings  from  her 
letters. 

4.  The  Fashion  of  Memoir-Writing  —  People 
who  wrote  memoirs:  Mademoiselle  de  Montpen- 
sier.  Marquis  de  Dangeau.  De  la  Porte  (the 
King's  valet  de  chambre).  Duclos  (Memoires 
secrets).  De  la  Rochefoucauld.  Brief  biog- 
raphies of  these  people. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Due  de  Saint-Simon : 
Memoirs.  3  vols.  (Translated.)  Letters  of 
Madame  de  Sevigne.  (Translated.)  Emil  Bour- 
geois: France  under  Louis  XIV.  G.  F.  Bradley: 
Great  Days  at  Versailles.  Imbert  de  Saint- 
Amand:  The  Court  of  Louis  XIV. 

Notice  the  striking  change  at  this  time  from 
former  dull  and  tedious  historical  writing  to  the 
brilliant    and    fascinating    personal    sketches    of 


AND    PROGRAMS  249 

people  and  events.  Read  descriptions  of  the 
King  and  the  court  from  Saint-Simon  and  Saint- 
Amand.  The  engravers  whom  Louis  brought 
from  the  Low  Countries  made  portraits  of  many 
of  the  society  people  of  the  time;  show  reproduc- 
tions, and  describe  the  dress  of  the  period. 


250       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 


CHAPTER  XVII 

Forestry 

The  study  of  this  subject  is  a  novel  one  for 
women's  clubs,  but  it  is  of  great  interest.  Women 
who  desire  an  intelligent  view  of  their  own  country 
should  certainly  take  it  up  and  understand  what 
is  being  done  to-day  and  what  is  planned  for 
the  future.  Books  to  be  read  are:  A  First  Book  of 
Forestry,  by  F.  Roth;  A  Primer  of  Forestry,  by 
Gifford  Pinchot;  and  The  Forest  and  Practical 
Forestry,  the  Department  of  Agriculture. 

I  —  INTRODUCTORY 

All  uncivilized  nations  ruthlessly  cut  off  their 
forests  for  fuel  and  timber,  both  ignorant  and  in- 
different to  the  result  of  the  destruction.  Where 
there  are  no  trees,  the  water-supply  dies  away,  the 
soil  then  becomes  infertile,  and  the  population  is 
threatened  with  famine.  China  is  practically 
denuded  of  trees,  after  unknown  centuries  of 
waste.  India  has  numberless  hillsides  and  plains 
once  wooded,  now  bare  and  parched;  and  so 
of  many  other  Oriental  countries. 


AND    PROGRAMS  251 


II  —  THE   BEGINNINGS   OF   FORESTRY 

Early  iii  the  sixteenth  century  there  was  a 
certam  realization  of  the  danger  of  neglect  of 
trees;  Sully,  the  great  minister  of  France,  sug- 
gested that  some  restrictions  should  be  laid  on 
cutting,  and  some  study  of  forestry  made  by  the 
government.  Germany  also  followed  the  same 
course,  and  England,  which  began  to  feel  the 
shortage  of  timber  severely,  practised  more  care- 
ful cutting  and  set  out  certain  plantations.  The 
great  landowners  everywhere  cared  for  their 
timber  in  their  private  parks,  and  cut  only  when 
necessary.  At  the  beginning  of  the  eighteenth 
century  planting  was  begun  in  Scotland  and  later 
in  Ireland,  and  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  now 
the  planted  areas  exceed  the  natural  growth  in 
these  two  countries.  Foreign  trees  were  also  in- 
troduced at  this  time,  and  in  many  cases  flour- 
ished even  better  than  the  natural  growths. 

III  —  PRESENT   CONDITIONS   ABROAD 

Practically  now  every  civilized  country  prac- 
tises forestry  in  a  greater  or  less  degree.  Germany 
has  nine  schools  where  it  is  taught,  and  there  are 
four  and  a  half  billion  acres  under  government 


252       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

care.  France  is  equally  careful,  and  every  forest 
is  guarded,  though  its  schools  are  not  as  many. 
England  has  a  forest  policy  which  calls  for  the 
planting  of  nine  million  acres,  ten  thousand  each 
year.  Russia  has  such  enormous  forests  that  as 
yet  the  care  of  her  trees  does  not  seem  to  her 
critically  important,  yet  she  too  is  beginning  to 
conserve  her  resources.  Italy  has  been  almost 
stripped  of  her  forests  by  neglect,  but  she  is  at 
last  waking  to  her  peril  and  beginning  to  foster 
what  is  left.  In  India  an  interesting  work  is 
being  done  by  the  English,  who  are  establishing 
scliools  for  the  natives  to  teach  forestry;  this 
in  time  will  make  the  country  far  more  fertile 
than  now.  New  Zealand,  always  progressive,  has 
a  well-planned  system;  Argentine,  Hawaii,  and 
Terra  del  Fuego  practise  the  science. 

IV  —  THE   PAST   IN   AMERICA 

Forestry  was  begun  at  home  by  one  man, 
Jared  Eliot  of  Salisbury,  Connecticut,  who  in 
1730  began  to  cut  his  trees  systematically  for 
charcoal  furnaces.  But  unfortunately  no  one 
followed  in  his  footsteps  because  our  forests  were 
so  rich  that  it  did  not  seem  necessary;  tliirty-six 
per  cent,  of  all  our  area  is  in  trees.    This  fact  has 


AND    PROGRAMS  253 

made  us  reckless;  whole  hillsides  have  been 
constantly  stripped  by  farmers  for  wood,  or  to 
make  arable  land.  Great  trees  have  been  cut 
down  when  smaller  ones  would  have  done  quite 
as  well.  Worst  of  all,  the  lumbermen  of  the 
Middle  West  and  South  have  swept  clean  enor- 
mous areas  of  land,  cutting  down  large  and  small 
pines  alike,  and  leaving  nothing  but  stumps. 

Even  more  destructive  have  been  the  forest- 
fires  which  have  sprung  up  through  carelessness 
or  drouth,  and  suffered  to  burn  unhindered  till 
they  died  out.  As  late  as  1910  twenty-five  million 
dollars'  worth  of  natural  timber  was  destroyed, 
partly  in  the  Far  West  and  partly  in  the  East. 
Of  late,  too,  certain  insects  have  made  havoc 
with  large  tracts,  and  hills  have  been  left  bare 
and  brown  where  they  have  been. 

V  —  CONSERVATION 

In  1882  the  Forestry  Association  was  formed 
to  correct  existing  evils,  to  care  for  standing 
timber,  and  to  restock  where  that  was  necessary. 
There  are  now  over  six  thousand  members  of  the 
association,  and  a  paper  of  great  interest  is  pub- 
lished, called  American  Foresfry,  which  gives 
practical  suggestions.     This  association  has  ac- 


254       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

complislied  marvels  in  the  few  years  of  its  exist- 
ence. In  1899  there  were  thirty-six  forest- 
reserves  in  the  West.  In  addition,  many  States 
have  their  own  reserves. 

VI  —  RENEWAL 

In  addition  to  earing  for  existing  trees,  others 
now  are  planted.  Some  States  have  bounties 
for  this  purpose;  others  maintain  nurseries  where 
saplings  are  raised  and  set  out;  seeds  are  sown; 
foreign  trees  are  introduced;  in  our  public  schools 
our  children  are  instructed  in  the  growth  and 
care  of  trees,  and  many  have  Arbor  Day,  when 
trees  are  planted  and  exercises  held  to  impress 
the  children  with  the  importance  of  the  occa- 
sion. 

VII  —  SCHOOLS   OF   FORESTRY 

There  is  a  definite  plan  to  have  forestry  taught 
in  every  State,  and  short  courses  have  been  added 
to  the  curriculum  of  the  State  universities.  Yale 
and  Cornell  have  forestry  schools,  and  Harvard 
a  forestry  course.  At  Biltmore,  North  Carolina, 
there  is  an  excellent  school  with  exceptional 
forest  advantages.  Clubs  can  send  for  catalogues 
of  these  schools. 


AND    PROGRAMS  255 

VIII THE   RETURNS 

Forestry  does  not  aim  to  produce  immediate 
commercial  returns;  indeed,  from  that  standpoint 
the  returns  are  slow;  yet  in  the  end  these  are 
greater  than  when  the  science  is  disregarded. 
Trees  must  be  regarded  as  a  crop  to  be  cut  only 
in  small  sections  rather  than  as  a  whole.  But  the 
system  once  thoroughly  established,  the  returns 
are  steady  and  sure.  Timber  is  cut  exactly  at 
the  right  time  instead  of  at  haphazard,  and  so  is 
of  the  right  size  and  age.  Fuel  is  gathered  from 
trees  meant  for  that  purpose,  and  timber  for 
building  purposes  from  trees  meant  for  that  alone. 

In  addition  to  the  commercial  results  there  are 
also  others.  Parks  are  set  aside  for  recreation  and 
beauty,  and  game  is  preserved  rather  than  des- 
troyed. Hillsides  are  renewed;  winds  are  kept 
off;  our  watersheds  are  protected,  and  rivers  and 
streams  kept  full,  and  the  land  fertile. 

IX FAMOUS    TREES 

Add  to  this  study  program  two  more  meetings. 
Have  one  on  Famous  Trees  and  Forests,  naming 
among  others:  The  Cedars  of  Lebanon,  the 
historic  King's  Oak  which  sheltered  Charles  I., 


256       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

the  Charter  Oak,  and  others;  note  also  the  famous 
redwoods  of  CaHfornia;  the  Burnham  Beeches; 
the  historic  Sherwood  Forest;  the  New  Forest 
and  Dean  Forest  of  England;  the  Black  Forest 
of  Baden  and  the  forests  of  the  Vosges  Mountains 
of   France. 

X TREES    AND     FORESTS    IN    LITERATURE 

The  last  program  of  the  year  may  be  on  the 
general  subject  of  trees  and  forests  in  literature. 
Read  or  recite  from  such  poems  as:  A  Forest 
Hymn  and  the  Planting  of  the  Apple  Tree,  by 
William  CuUen  Bryant;  Christmas  in  the  Woods, 
by  Harrison  Weir;  Forest  Pictures,  by  Paul  Hamil- 
ton Ha;^me;  the  Summer  Woods,  by  William  Henry 
Burleigh;  The  Primeval  Forest,  from  Evangeline, 
by  Longfellow;  The  Holly  Tree,  by  Robert  Sou  they, 
and  The  Trees  and  the  Master,  by  Sidney  Lanier. 
Read  from  The  Quest  of  John  Chapman,  by 
Newell  Dwight  Hillis,  and  also  from  The  Forest, 
by  Stewart  Edward  White. 


AND    PROGRAMS  257 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

Shakespeare 
I  —  Shakespeare's  life  story 

1.  Parentage,  childhood,  youth,  and  education. 
Description  of  Stratford   (with  photographs). 

2.  Shakespeare  as  an  actor,  manager,  and  play- 
wright.    His  friends;   his  theater;   his  company. 

3.  His  marriage. 

4.  His  later  years.  Evidence  from  legal  docu- 
ments, etc. 

5.  Appreciation  of  Shakespeare  by  his  con- 
temporaries and  successors. 

Discuss  Browning's  House  as  an  estimate  of 
Shakespeare's  relation  to  his  own  plays. 

Books  to  Consult  —  William  Winter:  Shake- 
speare's England.  Hamilton  Mabie :  Shakespeare. 
Sidney  Lee:  Life  of  Shakespeare. 

Read  of  the  school  at  Stratford  which  Shake- 
speare attended,  and  show  a  photograph.  Have 
a  selection  from  Irving's  Sketch  Book  from 
Stratford     on    Avon.       Tell     of     Shakespeare's 


258       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

marriage,  and  have  for  a  reading  or  recitation, 
Anne  Hathaway.  Show  pictures  of  the  town, 
the  museum,  the  Shakespeare  Theater,  etc. 

II  —  THE    ENGLISH    HISTORICAL    PLAYS 

1.  Richard  II.  and  King  John  —  Analysis  of 
plots,  leading  characters  and  their  traits.  Read- 
ings from  Richard  II.:  Act  v..  Scene  1.  King 
John:  Act  iv..  Scene  1  (beginning  with  Hubert's 
speech,  "  Heat  me  these  irons  hot  "). 

2.  Henry  IV.,  Henry  V.,  and  Richard  III.  — 
Analysis  of  plots,  characters,  and  traits,  as  above. 
Readings  from  Henry  IV.:  Part  II.,  Act.  iv.. 
Scene  5  (in  part).  Henry  V.:  Act  v..  Scene  2 
(dialogue  between  Henry  and  Katharine).  Rich- 
ard III.:   first  speech  of  Gloucester. 

3.  Henry  VI.,  and  Henry  VIII.  —  Analysis 
of  plots,  characters  and  traits,  as  above.  Read- 
ings from  Henry  VI.:  Part  I.,  Act  iii..  Scene  2 
(conversation  of  Joan  of  Arc);  also.  Part  III., 
Act  ii.,  Scene  2.  Henry  VIII.:  Act  iii.,  Scene  2 
(last  part,  Cromwell  and  Wolsey);  also,  Act  v., 
Scene  5. 

4.  How  Shakespeare  Made  His  Historical 
Plays  —  Describe  the  use  he  made  of  Holinshed 
and  older  writers;  the  changes  in  plot  and  char- 


AND    PROGRAMS  259 

acter  due  to  Shakespeare;  the  imaginary  persons 
he  introduced.    Readings  from  Holinshed. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Hamilton  Mabie:  Will- 
iam Shakespeare,  Poet,  Dramatist,  and  Man.  W. 
Aldis  Wright:  The  Cambridge  Shakespeare  (in- 
troductions and  notes).  Gollancz:  The  Temple 
Shakespeare  (introductions  and  notes). 

It  will  be  interesting  to  take  up  the  question  how 
far  these  plays  are  historically  true;  also  their 
value  to  the  common  people  as  a  means  of  teach- 
ing them  in  a  vivid  way  the  history  of  their  own 
country.  How  far  were  they  calculated  to  stim- 
ulate patriotism  by  the  glorification  of  England? 
Describe  modern  productions  of  these  plays  by 
Booth,  Irving,  Mansfield,  Sothern,  etc.  Tell  the 
story  of  the  first  production  of  Henry  VIII.,  which 
caused  the  burning  of  the  Globe  Theater.  (See 
Mabie's  Shakespeare,  page  383.) 

Ill TYPICAL   TRAGEDIES 

1.  Hamlet  —  The  tragedy  of  the  unbalanced 
mind.  Source:  Saxo-Grammaticus.  Synopsis 
of  the  plot  and  analysis  of  the  chief  characters. 
Discussion  of  Hamlet's  madness.  Read  Act  i.. 
Scenes  4  and  5;  Act  iii.,  Scene  1,  in  part;  Act 
v.,  Scene  2,  latter  part. 


260       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

2.  King  Lear  —  The  tragedy  of  filial  ingrati- 
tude. Source:  Holinshed.  Synopsis  of  the  plot 
and  analysis  of  the  chief  characters.  The  three 
daughters  as  types.  Read  Act  ii.,  Scene  4,  enter 
Cornwall,  Regan,  Gloster,  etc.;  Act  iii.,  first  four 
scenes;   Act  iv.,  Scene  7. 

3.  Macbeth  —  The  tragedy  of  guilt.  Source : 
Holinshed 's  Chronicles  of  Scotland.  Synopsis 
of  the  plot  and  analysis  of  the  chief  characters. 
Reading  of  the  story  of  Macbeth  from  Holinshed. 
Shakespeare's  use  of  the  weird,  illustrated  by  the 
witches.  Feminine  strength  and  masculine  weak- 
ness shown  in  Lady  Macbeth  and  her  husband. 
Read  Act  i..  Scene  3;  Act  v..  Scene  1. 

4.  Othello  —  The  tragedy  of  jealousy.  Source: 
Cinthio's  Hecatomithi.  Synopsis  of  the  plot 
and  analysis  of  the  chief  characters.  Shakespeare 
and  Italy;  local  color.  Novelty  of  the  Moor  as 
hero.  Read  Act  iii.,  Scene  3,  in  part;  Act  v.. 
Scene  2. 

5.  Julius  CcBsar  —  The  tragedy  of  ambition. 
Source:  North's  Translation  of  Plutarch.  Read- 
ing from  this.  Synopsis  of  the  plot  and  analysis 
of  the  chief  characters.  Admiration  of  Shake- 
speare for  Csesar,  and  frequent  reference  to  him. 
Read  whole  of  Act  iii.,  also  Act  iv.,  Scene  1. 


AND    PROGRAMS  261 

Books  to  Consult  —  Wood:  Hamlet  from 
a  Psychological  Point  of  View.  Brereton:  Some 
Famous  Hamlets.  Hall  Caine:  Richard  IH.  and 
Macbeth.    W.  W.  Skeat:  Shakespeare's  Plutarch. 

Although  every  great  tragedian  has  attempted 
the  famous  parts  in  Shakespeare's  tragedies,  some 
have  stood  out  conspicuously  for  their  interpre- 
tations. Study  Kemble,  Kean,  Macready,  Booth, 
Barrett,  Irving,  and  Mansfield;  also,  Mrs.  Siddons, 
Helen  Faucit,  Charlotte  Cushman  and  Ellen  Terry. 
Illustrate,  if  possible,  with  portraits  in  character, 
such  as  Booth  as  Hamlet,  Mansfield  as  Caesar, 
and  Terry  as  Ophelia. 

IV TYPICAL    COMEDIES 

1.  The  Taming  of  the  Shrew  —  An  Italian  play. 
Source  in  an  older  English  play.  Synopsis  of  the 
plot  and  analysis  of  the  chief  characters.  Contrast 
between  Katharine  and  Bianca.  Read  Act  ii., 
Scene  1  (the  dialogue  between  Katharine  and 
Petruchio)  and  Act  v..  Scene  2. 

2.  Twelfth  Night  —  Source :  Bandello.  Synop- 
sis of  the  plot  and  analysis  of  the  chief  characters. 
Imaginative  setting  of  the  play  in  Illyria.  Shake- 
speare's sense  of  fun.  Rude  humor  of  the  time. 
Read  Act  ii.,  Scene  3,  latter  part. 


262       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

3.  The  Merry  Wives  of  Windsor  —  No  definite 
source.  Materials  in  Stratford  life.  Synopsis  of 
the  plot  and  analysis  of  the  chief  characters.  A 
purely  English  play.  The  Falstaff  of  history  com- 
pared with  Shakespeare's  representation  of  him. 
Falstaff  here  and  elsewhere  in  Shakespeare.  Note 
the  possibility  of  the  origin  of  this  play  in  a  re- 
quest of  Queen  Elizabeth.    Read  Act  iii.,  Scene  3. 

4.  The  Comedy  of  Errors  —  Source:  the  Me- 
naechmi  of  Plautus.  Synopsis  of  the  plot  and 
analysis  of  the  chief  characters.  Read  Act  v., 
Scene  1  (from  "  enter  a  servant  "  on). 

Books  to  Consult  —  Hudson :  The  Harvard 
Shakespeare  (introductions  and  notes).  Lang: 
Shakespeare's  Comedy  of  Errors.  List  of  Songs 
by  Shakespeare  set  to  Music:  the  New  Shake- 
speare Society. 

V  —  PLAYS   of   sentiment 

1.  Romeo  and  Juliet  —  Source:  William  Paint- 
er's Palace  of  Pleasure.  Synopsis  of  the  plot  and 
analysis  of  the  chief  characters.  Essentially 
lyrical  quality  of  this  play.  Compare  Ophelia 
and  Juliet.  Read  Act  ii.,  Scene  2.  Reading  from 
A  Study  of  Romeo  in  J.  J.  Chapman's  Emerson 
and  Other  Essays. 


AND    PROGRAMS  263 

2.  As  You  Like  It  —  Source:  Lodge's  Rosa- 
lynde.  Synopsis  of  the  plot  and  analysis  of  the 
chief  characters.  Note  the  part  of  Adam,  which 
Shakespeare  played  himself.  Compare  Juliet 
and  Rosalind.  Read  Act  ii.,  Scene  4,  and  Act  iii., 
Scene  2.  Readings  from  Hamilton  Mabie's  In 
the  Forest  of  Arden  and  William  Winter's  Old 
Shrines  and  Ivy. 

3.  The  Merchant  of  Venice  —  Source:  the 
Italian  Tale,  II  Pecorone.  Synopsis  of  the  plot 
and  analysis  of  the  chief  characters.  Discuss  the 
question,  Who  is  the  hero  of  the  drama .f^  Read 
from  Act  iii.,  Scene  2,  and  Act  iv.,  Scene  1  (Por- 
tia's plea).  Reading  from  Philipson's  The  Jew 
in  English  Fiction. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Hiram  Corson :  Intro- 
duction to  Shakespeare.  Fleming:  How  to  Study 
Shakespeare.  Dowden:  Transcripts  and  Studies 
(for  Romeo  and  Juliet).  Stopford  Brooke:  On 
Ten  Plays  of  Shakespeare  (for  As  You  Like  It). 
Introductions  to  the  several  plays  by  Brandes, 
R.  G.  White  and  Rolfe  (popular). 

The  heroines  of  these  plays  are  among  the  love- 
liest in  Shakespeare.  A  special  paper  might  be 
prepared  on  them,  illustrating  it  with  their  famous 
speeches. 


264        WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

VI  —  PLAYS   OF   FANCY 

1.  Midsummer  Nighfs  Dream  —  Source:  old 
tales  (Petrarch,  Ovid,  Chaucer,  etc.).  Synopsis 
of  the  plot  and  analysis  of  the  chief  characters. 
An  early  play,  full  of  sprightly  gaiety.  Splendid 
metrical  command.  Influence  on  later  literature 
and  music  (Faust,  Oberon).    Read  Act  iii..  Scene 

1.  Also  the  Pyramus  and  Thisbe  part. 

2.  Cymheline  —  Source :  Boccaccio  and  Holin- 
shed.  Synopsis  of  the  plot  and  analysis  of  the 
chief  characters.  Serene  temper  with  tragic  ele- 
ment.   Fanciful  geography.    Read  Act  iv..  Scene 

2,  through  the  song  Fear  No  More. 

3.  Winter  s  Tale  —  Source:  Greene's  Pandosto 
and  the  Decameron  of  Boccaccio.  Analysis  of 
the  plot  and  description  of  the  chief  characters. 
List  of  Warwickshire  flowers  mentioned  (Act 
iv..  Scene  3).  Discuss  the  reason  for  the  popu- 
larity of  this  play  in  Shakespeare's  time  and 
its  neglect  now.  Read  Act  iv.,  Scene  3,  in 
part. 

4.  The  Tempest  —  Source:  almost  entirely 
Shakespeare's  own;  very  slight  dependence  on 
materials.  Analysis  of  the  plot  and  description 
of  the  chief  characters.     Probably  Shakespeare's 


AND   PROGRAMS  265 

last  play.  Wreck  of  the  Sea-Venture  and  descrip- 
tion of  Bermuda  (see  Mabie's  Shakespeare). 
Note  Shakespeare's  desertion  of  reality  for  fancy 
at  the  close  of  his  career.  Read  Act  v.. 
Scene  1. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Hudson:  The  Life,  Art, 
and  Character  of  Shakespeare.  Dowden:  Shake- 
speare, His  Mind  and  Art.  The  Arden  Shake- 
speare: introductions  by  Chambers,  Wyatt,  Boas, 
etc.  Editions  of  the  plays  by  Rolfe,  Brandes,  and 
Hudson.  Winter:  Old  Shrines  and  Ivy.  Sherman: 
What  is  Shakespeare?  (chapters  on  Cymbeline 
and  Winter's  Tale).  W.  B.  Carpenter:  Reli- 
gious Spirit  in  the  Poets  (chapter  on  the 
Tempest). 

As  this  is  the  last  program  in  which  Shake- 
speare's plays  are  taken  up  in  detail,  the  impor- 
tant subject  might  be  discussed  of  the  relation  of  the 
plays  to  the  author's  own  life  and  mental  develop- 
ment. (See  Dowden's  book.)  Special  study 
should  be  made  of  the  exquisite  songs  in  which  the 
last  three  plays  are  particularly  rich.  Hark,  Hark, 
the  Lark!  and  Fear  No  More,  from  Cymbeline, 
Jog  On  and  When  Daffodils  Begin,  from  Winter's 
Tale,  and  Where  the  Bee  Sucks,  from  the  Tem- 
pest, should  be  sung  or  read. 


266       WOMAN'S    CLUB   WORK 

VII  —  SONNETS   AND   OTHER   POEMS 

1.  Venus  and  Adonis  —  Early  experiment  in 
narrative  verse.  The  story  founded  on  Ovid,  with 
medieval  alterations  of  the  legend.  Character 
of  the  theme  acceptable  to  the  Renaissance  spirit, 
but  impossible  to-day.    Correctness  of  the  text. 

2.  The  Rape  of  Lucrece  —  Story  of  Lucius 
Tarquinius  Superbus.  Legend  unaltered  by  4;he 
poet.  Lucrece,  the  model  of  conjugal  fidelity  in 
the  Middle  Ages.  Who  was  the  Earl  of  South- 
ampton, to  whom  the  poem  was  dedicated.'^ 
What  did  the  other  poets  of  Shakespeare's  time 
think  of  these  early  poems  .'^ 

3.  Shorter  Poems  —  A  Lover's  Complaint,  The 
Passionate  Pilgrim,  and  The  Phoenix  and  the 
Turtle.  Shakespeare's  part  in  the  second  and  his 
indignation  at  the  use  of  his  name  for  the  whole. 
The  "  unsolved  enigma  "  of  the  last. 

4.  The  Sonnets  —  The  origin  of  the  sonnet  form 
in  Italy.  The  plan  of  the  series.  Comparison  of 
the  collection  with  Wordsworth's  sonnet  sequences, 
Mrs.  Browning's  Sonnets,  and  Tennyson's  In  Me- 
moriam.  The  problem  of  W.  H.  Read  the  Son- 
nets, 18,  22,  33,  116. 

Books  to  Consult  —  W.  J.  Rolfe:  Venus  and 


AND    PROGRAMS  267 

Adonis,  and  Other  Poems.  Sidney  Lee:  intro- 
ductions to  the  several  poems.  Israel  Gollanez: 
Shakespeare's  Sonnets.  Edward  Dowden ;  Shake- 
speare's Sonnets.  Parke  Godwin:  New  Study  of 
the  Sonnets  of  Shakespeare. 

The  most  interesting  problem  about  the  sonnets 
IS  whether  or  not  they  are  a  revelation  of  Shake- 
speare's own  experience  and  views  of  life,  or  are 
wholly  imaginative.  On  this  point  read  from 
Wordsworth,  Scorn  Not  the  Sonnet,  and  Brown- 
ing's House,  in  which  the  two  poets  take  oppo- 
site views.  For  a  full  and  most  interesting  dis- 
cussion see  Dowden 's  essay. 

VIII  —  THE   WOMEN   OF   SHAKESPEARE 

1.  Introductory  —  Variety  of  characters  and 
pronounced  individuality.  Different  types  rep- 
resented.   Not  peculiar  to  his  age,  but  timeless. 

2.  The  Women  of  Intellect  —  Portia:  the  woman 
of  wisdom  and  learning.  Is  she  Shakespeare's 
highest  female  type.'^  Beatrice:  the  fine  lady,  of 
wit  and  high  spirits.  Readings  —  Portia:  the 
casket  scene  and  the  court  scene  from  the  Mer- 
chant of  Venice.  Beatrice:  first  and  last  scenes 
from  Much  Ado. 

3.  The  Women  of  Sentiment  —  Juliet:    woman 


268       WOMAN'S    CLUB   WORK 

of  the  South;  romantic  and  intense.  Desdemona; 
woman  of  the  North;  modest,  tender,  self -re- 
strained. Readings  —  JuHet:  Act  iii..  Scenes 
2  and  5,  of  Romeo  and  Juliet.  Desdemona:  Act 
iv..  Scene  2,  of  Othello. 

4.  The  Women  of  Imagination  —  Perdita:  sim- 
plicity, dignity,  and  sweetness.  Miranda:  ethe- 
real, unsophisticated,  and  ideal.  Readings  —  Per- 
dita: Act  iv..  Scene  4  (the  shepherd's  cottage), 
of  the  Winter's  Tale.  Miranda:  Act  i..  Scene  2 
(the  island),  of  the  Tempest. 

5.  The  Women  of  History  —  Lady  Macbeth : 
power  of  intellect,  determination,  devotion  to  her 
husband's  career.  Princess  Katharine:  charming 
and  coquettish.  Readings  —  Lady  Macbeth:  Act 
i..  Scene  8,  from  Macbeth.  Katharine:  Act  v.. 
Scene  2  (beginning  "  Fair  Katharine "),  from 
Henry  V. 

6.  Women  of  Various  Types  —  Illustrative  read- 
ings from  As  You  Like  It  (Rosalind),  Hamlet 
(Ophelia),  King  Lear  (Cordelia),  Taming  of  the 
Shrew   (Katharine). 

Books  to  Consult  —  E.  Dowden:  Transcripts 
and  Studies.  L.  Lewes:  Women  of  Shakespeare. 
Mrs.  A.  B.  Jameson:  Characteristics  of  Women. 
Wingate:    Shakespeare's  Heroines  on  the  Stage. 


AND    PROGRAMS  269 

The  club  members  could  add  interest  to  this 
meeting  by  recalling  the  famous  actresses  they 
may  have  seen,  and  comparing  their  presentations 
of  Shakespeare's  women.  For  example,  Mary 
Anderson  as  Juliet,  Ada  Rehan  as  Katharine, 
Ellen  Terry  as  Portia,  Modjeska  as  Rosalind, 
and  Julia  Marlowe  as  Ophelia. 

IX SHAKESPEREAN    PROBLEMS 

1.  His  Personality  —  How  much  education  had 
Shakespeare .f^  Did  he  reveal  himself  in  his  plays.'' 
What  were  his  personal  characteristics? 

2.  Characteristics  of  His  Work  —  Did  he  plagi- 
arize? If  so,  was  he  justified?  Was  his  meaning 
always  clear  to  himself?  See  Richard  Grant  White 
on  this  point.  Is  his  broad  humor  defensible? 
Discuss  Taine's  criticism  on  this  point. 

3.  Estimate  of  Shakespeare  in  His  Own  and 
Later  Times  —  What  did  his  contemporaries  think 
of  him?  Why  was  he  ignored  in  the  later  seven- 
teenth century?  Quote  from  great  writers  on 
Shakespeare:    Coleridge,  Goethe,  Swinburne,  etc. 

4.  The  Bacon-Shakespeare  Controversy  —  Origin : 
story  of  Delia  Bacon's  life.  Is  there  a  cipher  in 
Shakespeare?  Quotation  of  learned  opinion  on 
both  sides. 


270       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Books  to  Consult  —  Emerson:  Essays.  E. 
Dowden:  Essays,  Modern  and  Elizabethan.  Ar- 
thur Gilman:  Shakespeare's  Morals.  Ignatius 
Donnelly:  The  Great  Cryptogram.  Charlotte 
Carmichael  Stopes :  Bacon-Shakespeare  Question 
Answered. 

Have  a  talk  on  Shakespeare  the  historian.  Is 
he  trustworthy.'^  Does  he  give  an  accurate  account 
of  events  or  only  reproduce  general  color.^^  Have  a 
discussion  on  the  character  of  Hamlet.  Was  he 
really  mad.^^  Did  Shakespeare  intend  so  to  rep- 
resent him,  or  to  leave  the  matter  in  doubt?  For 
those  interested  in  such  things,  the  subject  of 
the  early  editions  of  Shakespeare,  and  their  re- 
lation to  one  another,  is  one  of  great  fascination. 
A  description  of  the  immensely  costly  collection 
recently  presented  to  the  Elizabethan  Club  at 
Yale  might  be  given. 

X  —  FAMOUS   PRESENTATIONS     OF     SH.\KESPEARE's 

PLAYS 

1.  English  —  Garrick,  Charles  Kean,  Siddons, 
Charles  Kemble,  Lady  Faucit,  Irving,  Terry,  Tree, 
Benson.  Descriptions  and  anecdotes  from  Bos- 
well's  Johnson,  Charles  Lamb's  Essays,  Fanny 
Burney's  Diary,  and  Ellen  Terry's  life. 


AND    PROGRAMS  ^71 

2.  American  —  Forrest,  the  elder  and  younger 
Booth,  Barrett,  Ada  Rehan,  Mansfield,  Sothern, 
and  Marlowe. 

3.  The  Theater  at  Stratford-on-Avon  —  Descrip- 
tion of  it  with  views.  Story  of  some  of  the  famous 
presentations  given  there.  Differences  between 
these  and  those  of  Shakespeare's  own  time. 

4.  Discussion  of  the  Question  of  Stage  Settings  — - 
Was  that  of  Shakespeare's  time  better,  with  no 
scenery,  and  all  the  effect  lying  in  the  meaning 
of  the  lines;  or  is  the  method  of  to-day  preferable 
with  its  elaborate,  costly,  and  spectacular  scenery 
and  stage  effects?  Describe  the  change  in  stage 
ideas  due  to  the  invention  of  the  electric  light. 

5.  Description  of  Plays  Seen  —  Brief  statements 
by  the  club  members  of  the  Shakespearean  rep- 
resentations they  have  witnessed,  with  an  analysis 
of  their  impressions  of  plays  and  of  actors. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Sidney  Lee :  Shake- 
speare and  the  Modern  Stage.  Percy  Fitzgerald: 
Shakespearean  Representation:  Its  Laws  and 
Limits.  Percy  Fitzgerald:  Romance  of  the  Eng- 
lish Stage.  C.  E.  L.  Wingate:  Shakespeare's 
Heroes  on  the  Stage.    Also,  Heroines, 

Prepare  in  advance  of  this  meeting  a  screen 
with   old   play-bills   and   photographs   of  famous 


272       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

actors,  Forrest,  Kean,  Booth  and  others.  Read 
from  newspaper  files  the  dramatic  criticisms  of 
the  plays  presented.  Describe  some  of  the  famous 
theaters  of  America  in  past  and  present  times. 
Close  with  a  discussion  of  the  personal  attitude 
of  the  club  members  toward  Shakespeare's  plays 
as  compared  with  those  written  to-day.  Is  there 
a  Shakespearean  affectation? 


AND    PROGRAMS  273 


CHAPTER  XIX 

The  Employments  of  Women 

In  arranging  a  year's  program  from  this  out- 
line, have  several  meetings  on  the  older  occupa- 
tions of  women  before  bringing  the  study  down 
to  present  times,  when  the  work  becomes  more 
varied.  The  first  five  topics  may  be  made  very 
interesting  if  there  are  readings  from  histories 
of  the  Middle  Ages  on  the  work  of  women  at  that 
time.  Where  possible,  clubs  should  make  trips 
to  museums  or  libraries  and  examine  work  ex- 
hibited there. 

I  —  pottery 

Making  clay  pots  for  household  use  is  one  of  the 
first  things  women  did.  They  took  ordinary 
earth,  moulded  it  roughly,  and  baked  it  in  their 
domestic  fires  until  it  would  hold  water  and  food. 
Such  pots  are  found  everywhere  where  there  are 
ancient  remains,  among  the  lake  dwellers  in 
Switzerland,  among  Egyptians  and  Greeks,  and 


274       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WOKK 

in  the  ruins  in  Mexico.  Later,  men  took  this 
work  largely  to  themselves,  and  kept  it  until  our 
own  day,  when  women  have  begun  to  make  beau- 
tiful pottery,  glazed  and  decorated.  Show  pic- 
tures from  catalogues  of  such  potteries  as  the 
Rookwood  and  others,  and  mention  also  the  good 
work  that  is  done  privately  and  fired  in  small 
kilns. 

II  —  SPINNING   AND   WEAVING 

Begin  the  study  of  this  delightful  topic  back 
in  the  earliest  times,  and  show  how  step  by  step 
it  advanced.  Woolen  and  linen  fabrics  were  made 
by  the  ancients,  and  dyed  with  vegetable  colors, 
for  clothing  and  for  hangings.  Notice  the  tapes- 
tries of  later  days,  especially  those  first  woven  in 
Flanders  and  Arras,  which  were  so  valuable  they 
were  used  only  by  royalty  or  in  churches.  Have 
a  paper  on  tapestry  made  at  home,  in  castles,  and 
even  in  royal  residences,  by  the  household  of 
women.  Speak  also  of  the  work  done  in  Colonial 
days  by  our  grandmothers,  of  the  linen  sheets 
and  blankets  spun  and  woven,  and  of  the  beauti- 
ful blue-and-white  coverlets  of  the  period.  Show 
some  of  the  latter,  if  possible.  Read  from  the 
book  called  Tapestry  and  Embroidery,  by  Cole. 


AND    PROGRAMS  275 


III  —  EMBROIDERY 

Almost  as  soon  as  skins  were  made  into  gar- 
ments the  art  of  decoration  was  discovered,  and 
feathers  and  shells  were  sewed  to  them  in  patterns, 
and  stitches  taken  with  colored  fibers,  grasses,  and 
shreds  of  wooL  The  primitive  tribes  of  Indians, 
especially  in  South  America,  use  exactly  the 
same  methods  to-day.  Embroidery  was  always 
distinctly  women's  work,  men  never  sharing  in  it 
as  they  did  in  making  pottery.  In  Egypt,  Assyria, 
and  among  the  Jews  it  became  much  more  elab- 
orate and  artistic.  Tyre  and  Sidon  were  noted 
for  their  beautiful  work.  Homer  describes  em- 
broidered garments  among  the  Greeks;  Roman 
women  wore  showy  colored  borders  on  their 
skirts   and   scarfs. 

In  the  early  Middle  Ages  ecclesiastical  em- 
broidery, done  largely  in  gold  and  silver  threads, 
was  known  in  Europe,  and  much  exquisite  work 
of  the  kind  was  done  in  the  convents.  Matilda, 
the  wife  of  William  the  Conqueror,  and  her  women 
made  the  famous  Bayeux  tapestry,  which  was 
really  embroidery. 

The  embroidery  of  the  Orient,  especially  that 
of  China  and  India,  is  famous,  though  this  is 


276       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

not  done  exclusively  by  women.  Mention  the 
originality  of  the  patterns  used,  the  brilliance 
of  the  silk,  and  the  permanence  of  the  colors. 
Note  also  the  lovely  white  embroidery  done  by 
the  French  and  other  nations. 

IV  —  LACE  -  MAKING 

This  art  grew  out  of  that  of  embroidery,  for 
the  thin  parts  of  the  latter  were  cut  out,  leaving 
the  effect  of  heavy,  colored  lace.  A  book  was 
published  in  1527,  called  The  New  and  Subtile 
Book  Concerning  the  Art  and  Science  of  Embroid- 
ery, Fringes,  and  Tapestries,  as  Well  as  Other 
Crafts  Done  with  the  Needle,  and  in  this  book 
there  are  patterns  for  lace.  The  Venetians  first 
mastered  the  making  of  white  lace  with  the  needle, 
and  produced  heavy,  effective  designs.  Under 
Louis  XIV.  delicate  lace  was  made  in  France, 
especially  that  called  Valengon.  Pillow-lace 
made  with  bobbins  was  invented  by  a  woman  in 
Saxony  about  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury. 

Have  papers  on  the  laces  peculiar  to  different 
countries,  and  show  examples  or  pictures  of  them. 
English  thread  in  white  and  black;  Spanish  silk, 
hand-run;  Irish  crochet;  Valenciennes,  and  others. 


AND    PROGRAMS  277 

See  Palliser's  History  of  Lace  for  description  and 
illustrations.  If  possible,  visit  a  museum  which 
has  a  collection  of  laces;  there  is  an  excellent  one 
in  the  Metropolitan,  of  New  York.  Study  also  the 
conditions  under  which  the  laces  are  made,  the 
lives  of  lace-workers,  and  the  prices  received  by 
them  for  their  work. 

V  —  BASKET  -  WEAVING 

Like  the  making  of  pottery,  the  weaving  of 
baskets  goes  back  to  the  very  earliest  times. 
Women  soon  learned  how  to  twist  together  osiers 
or  twigs  and  make  them  into  receptacles  for 
household  use.  As  time  went  on,  baskets  became 
more  beautiful  and  artistic,  and  all  nations,  but 
particularly  those  of  the  Orient,  made  them  in 
delicate  materials  and  lovely  designs.  Often  sav- 
age peoples  will  be  found  who  excel  in  basketry. 
Notice  especially  the  baskets  made  by  the  North 
American  Indian  women,  and  see  the  book  on 
Basketry,  by  G.  W.  James,  which  is  full  of  illus- 
trations. 

VI  —  MODERN  HANDICRAFT   FOR   WOMEN 

Have  club  members  make  as  many  programs 
from  the  subjects  following  as  they  desire,  and 


278        WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

illustrate  them  as  far  as  possible  with  examples  of 
the  work.  Take  up  also  the  schools  where  de- 
signing is  taught,  and  tell  what  is  done  there. 
Note  the  growth  of  all  designing  work  for  women; 
bookbinding;  jewelry-making;  stenciling;  making 
of  furniture;  bead-work;  loiitting,  crocheting, 
sewing,  quilting,  and  patchwork;  rug-making; 
work  in  leather  and  wood;  china-painting;  work 
in  plaster. 

VII  —  WOMEN   IN   THE   PROFESSIONS    AND   ARTS 

Clubs  should  have  papers  on  each  one  of  the 
following  representative  women,  showing  what 
they  accomplished.  In  addition  there  might  be 
a  study  of  the  women  of  to-day  who  are  doing 
good  work  on  similar  lines.  In  astronomy,  Caro- 
line Herschel;  in  music,  Fanny  Mendelssohn;  in 
philanthropy,  Elizabeth  Fry  or  Florence  Night- 
ingale; in  painting,  Rosa  Bonheur  or  Elizabeth 
Thompson  Butler;  m  sculpture,  Harriet  Hosmer; 
in  education,  Mary  Lyon;  in  the  lecture  field, 
Mary  A.  Livermore;  on  the  stage,  Charlotte 
Cushman  or  Rachel;  as  poet,  Mrs.  Browning;  as 
novelist,  George  Eliot. 

Add  to  this  list  some  names  of  women  who  are 
doctors,  lawyers,  ministers,  editors,  teachers,  and 


AND    PROGRAMS  279 

nurses.     See  Lives  of  Girls  Who  Became  Famous 
Women,  by  Sarah  K.  Bolton. 

VIII  —  WOMEN   IN   BUSINESS 

Have  one  or  more  practical  papers  showing 
what  women  have  done  and  can  do  in  the  field 
of  every-day  work.  The  Trained  Mother  might 
come  first,  and  then  Woman  as  Housekeeper. 
After  that  take  her  as  teacher,  governess,  sten- 
ographer, saleswoman,  dressmaker  and  milliner, 
caterer,  landscape-gardener,  architect,  dairy- 
woman,  real-estate  dealer,  house-decorator,  and 
buyer.  Follow  with  a  paper  or  talk  showing  what 
can  be  done  in  unusual  ways  to  earn  one's 
living;  keeping  a  tea-room,  shopping,  caring  for 
children,  mending,  packing,  preserving,  and  em- 
broidering. 

IX  —  SUMMARY 

Close  the  year  with  a  broad  view  of  the  whole 
subject.  What  about  woman's  work  in  general? 
Is  it  well  done  and  well  paid.^^  What  of  factory 
work,  domestic  service,  and  work  in  shops?  Un- 
der what  conditions  is  such  work  done?  What  of 
the  question  of  equal  pay?    What  of  the  "  living 


280        WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

wage  "  ?  What  is  being  done  for  working  girls? 
Do  settlements,  vacation  homes,  and  the  like 
meet  their  needs?  Read  Olive  Schreiner's  Woman 
and  Labor. 


AND    PROGRAMS  281 


CHAPTER  XX 

Important  Movements  of  Our  Times 

Sufficient  material  is  given  under  each  of  the 
following  ten  heads  for  clubs  to  divide  into  two  or 
more  meetings. 

I  —  the  peace  movement 

The  first  Peace  Society  was  founded  in  New 
York,  in  1815.  A  second  was  organized  six 
months  later  in  Boston  and  the  following  year  a 
third  in  London.  The  first  International  Peace 
Congress  was  held  in  1843,  in  London.  From 
that  time  till  the  present,  many  congresses  have 
been  held  all  over  the  world,  and  Peace  Societies 
exist  everywhere,  forty  in  America  alone. 

The  object  of  all  societies  is  to  so  establish 
an  orderly  state  of  affairs  that  war  shall  be  im- 
possible. The  consular  and  diplomatic  services 
work  along  these  lines,  and  advocate  treaties 
between  nations.  The  gradual  reduction  of 
standing  armies  and  navies  is  also  one  of  the 
aims  of  the  movement. 


282       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

The  Hague  Tribunal  was  established  in  1899, 
to  adjust  differences  between  nations  who  cannot 
settle  them  for  themselves.  Between  that  year  and 
1912  one  hundred  and  sixty-seven  such  settlements 
were  made. 

The  gift  of  $10,000,000  by  Andrew  Carnegie  and 
the  bestowal  of  the  Nobel  Prize  have  put  the 
Peace  Movement  on  so  secure  a  financial  basis 
that  its  future  is  assured. 

Read  the  reports  of  the  great  Peace  Conference 
in  New  York  in  1907,  and  select  readings  from 
its  addresses.  See  also  Chittenden's  book.  Peace 
or  War. 

Clubs  will  find  it  worth  while  to  preface  this 
study  with  one  meeting  on  War.  Speak  of  the  cost 
of  standing  armies  and  navies,  of  loss  of  life  in 
great  battles,  of  military  schools,  of  compulsory 
military  service.     Discuss:  Is  war  ever  necessary .^^ 

II  —  woman's  suffrage 

1.  The  movement  in  the  past.  Briefly  sketch 
the  history  of  woman  in  early  times,  in  the  Middle 
Ages,  and  later,  to  the  present.  Notice  that  the 
modern  movement  ipay  be  said  to  have  begun 
when  in  1647  Mary  Brent,  the  representative  of 
Lord  Baltimore,  demanded  a  seat  in  the  represent- 


AND    PROGRAMS  283 

alive  body  of  Maryland.  In  the  middle  of  the 
last  century  such  women  as  Margaret  Fuller, 
Lydia  Maria  Child,  Lucretia  B.  Mott,  Susan  B. 
Anthony,  Emma  Willard,  Mary  Putman  Jacobi 
and  Elizabeth  Cady  Stanton  became  the  lead- 
ers of  the  Woman's  Rights  party,  and  the  first 
convention  was  held  in  New  York  state,  in  1846. 
Give  sketches  of  these  and  other  women;  tell 
of  the  demands  they  made,  and  the  result  of  the 
convention.  On  what  did  the  suffrage  party 
base  its  claims? 

2.  The  movement  to-day.  Have  a  paper  or 
talk  on  the  conditions  in  Australia,  New  Zealand, 
Iceland,  Sweden  and  Norway,  Finland,  Scotland, 
Ireland  and  Wales,  and  last,  on  England,  called 
"  The  storm  center." 

What  of  our  country.''  Which  states  have  equal 
suffrage,  and  how  does  it  work.^*  What  especial 
questions  are  of  vital  interest  to  women,  and  how 
will  they  be  aided  by  the  vote.^* 

What  of  woman's  physical  and  mental  ability 
to  handle  political  issues?  What  of  such  work  as 
that  of  soldier,  sailor,  worker  on  roads,  in  sewers, 
on  the  police  and  fire  boards? 

Wliat  of  her  relation  to  her  home  if  equal 
suffrage    is    granted? 


284       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Name  some  of  the  women  in  England  and 
America  who  are  especially  leaders  in  the 
movement,  and  tell  of  their  position  and 
work. 

See  books  and  magazine  articles  by  Jane 
Addams,  Ida  Tarbell  and  Mrs.  Ida  Husted  Harper. 
See  also:  The  Modern  Woman's  Rights  Move- 
ment, by  Schirmacher. 

Ill  —  THE   PROHIBITION   MOVEMENT 

Prohibition  is  an  attempt  to  abolish  the  manu- 
facture and  sale  of  alcoholic  liquors,  except  for 
purposes  of  industry,  science,  art  and  medicine. 
It  declares  that  the  capital  now  in  the  liquor 
traffic  would,  if  invested  in  legitimate  business, 
give  employment  to  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
men.  It  would  promote  commerce,  protect  labor, 
preserve  health,  conserve  the  interests  of  home 
and  state.  It  would  prevent  cruelty,  pauperism, 
disease  and  crime. 

The  movement  for  prohibition  was  merely 
local  until  1851,  when  the  Neal  Dow  law  was 
passed,  making  Maine  a  prohibition  state.  The 
nation  and  state  also  combined  at  this  time  to 
prevent  the  sale  of  liquor  to  the  Indians.  At  the 
close   of   the   Civil    War   new   conditions   arose; 


AND    PROGRAMS  285 

German  beer  was  imported,  and  huge  breweries 
and  distilleries  were  built  at  home.  Numerous 
states  then  took  up  the  matter  of  prohibition,  and 
many-  have  had  laws  passed  prohibiting  manu- 
facture and  sale  of  all  intoxicants,  most  of  them 
repealed  or  declared  unconstitutional. 

In  Ohio  there  was  a  remarkable  movement 
called  the  Women's  Crusade  which  is  worthy  of 
study.  Mention  some  of  the  leaders;  study 
also  the  careers  of  John  B.  Gough,  and  Frances 
Willard. 

South  Dakota  was  admitted  to  the  Union  as 
a  prohibition  state;  Kansas  and  Georgia,  Okla- 
homa and  Alaska  have  prohibition  also,  and 
some  states  have  local  option  by  counties  or 
towns;  cities  in  many  parts  of  the  country  have 
it  by  precincts. 

The  history  of  the  political  Prohibition  Party 
is  a  subject  to  be  taken  up  by  itself.  Mention  its 
prominent  leaders,  their  methods  and  the  results 
of  the  campaigns. 

Discuss:  Would  enforced  prohibition  be  bene- 
ficial to  the  state?  Is  local  option  a  success.?  Is 
there  open  violation  of  the  law  in  prohibition 
states?  What  of  the  legislative  work  of  the  Anti- 
Saloon  League? 


286        WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

IV MODERN   MEDICINE   AND    SURGERY 

The  new  day  in  medicine  and  surgery  began, 
when,  in  1846  ether  was  discovered,  and  chloro- 
form a  year  later,  and  Warren,  in  the  Massachu- 
setts General  Hospital,  popularized  them.  All 
operations,  however,  were  still  attended  with 
danger  because  of  infection,  till  Pasteur  discovered 
the  dangerous  bacteria  and  Lister  invented  sterili- 
zation.    Then  modern  methods  really  began. 

The  field  of  possible  operations  at  once  widened ; 
surgeons  began  to  have  better  operating  rooms, 
more  scientific  preparation  of  patients  before 
operations  and  better  dressings  and  care  after- 
ward. Not  only  antiseptic  but  aseptic  treatment 
became  known.  New  anesthetics,  and  local  ones 
have  been  found ;  the  use  of  oxygen  and  electricity 
have  been  beneficial;  the  X-ray  has  been  dis- 
covered and  put  to  practical  use. 

Great  sums  of  money  have  been  set  aside  for 
research  work,  and  new  serums  have  been  found 
of  enormous  benefit  to  the  public.  Scientists  are 
looking  for  the  germs  of  many  diseases,  and  for 
their  antidotes. 

Wonderful  new  operations  are  full  of  interest; 
note  especially  the  transfusion  of  blood,  and  the 


AND    PROGRAMS  287 

preservation  of  tissue  and  transplanting  of  living 
organs. 

Have  other  papers  on:  the  specialist  as  the 
supplanter  of  the  general  practitioner;  the  new 
relation  between  medicine  and  hygiene;  the  re- 
lation of  the  old  family  physician  to  his  patients; 
the  work  of  the  Red  Cross  Society,  and  the  wide- 
spread knowledge  of  first  aid  to  the  injured. 
What  are  the  possibilities  of  the  near  future  in 
medicine  and  surgery?    What  in  research  work? 

V  —  MODERN   MOVEMENTS   FOR    PUBLIC   HEALTH 

Boards  of  Health  in  the  state  and  community 
exist  for  the  purpose  of  controlling  and  repressing 
agencies  which  would  undermine  the  health  of 
the  people.  Their  work  is  far-reaching,  but  it  may 
be  grouped  under  the  following  heads: 

1.  The  care  of  the  water  supply  is  among  its 
most  important  functions;  it  must  protect  it  from 
its  source  to  the  homes  of  the  consumers,  over- 
seeing all  sewers,  cesspools  and  drainage.  It 
must  also  see  that  the  supply  of  ice  is  pure.  It 
undertakes  to  care  for  all  roads  and  sidewalks, 
and  their  proper  lighting.  It  is  responsible  for  the 
construction  of  buildings,  as  to  safety,  ventilation, 
plumbing  and  draining. 


288       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

2.  It  also  insists  on  its  notification  of  all  disease 
and  attends  to  quarantining  and  disinfecting; 
it  vaccinates;  it  fights  tuberculosis ;  it  removes  the 
sick  to  the  proper  place;  it  sees  that  the  dead  are 
properly  handled;  it  keeps  a  record  of  vital 
statistics. 

3.  It  has  an  oversight  of  food  supplies;  it 
insists  that  the  milk  is  pure  and  carefully  handled; 
it  prevents  the  adulteration  of  foodstuffs  and  drugs; 
it  stops  the  sale  of  stale  or  unwholesome  foods; 
it  demands  clean  slaughter  houses;  it  sees  that 
all  dangerous  animals  are  shut  up  or  killed,  and 
dead  ones  removed  from  the  streets;  it  prohibits 
unpleasant  odors,  and  smoke;  it  tries  to  do  away 
with  all  public  nuisances;  it  seeks  to  exterminate 
the  mosquitoes. 

These  topics  may  be  taken  up  as  far  as  time 
allows.  Discuss  in  closing  such  questions  as: 
What  does  our  local  Board  of  Health  do  for  us.'^ 
Where  does  it  fail?  What  can  women's  clubs  do  to 
make  it  more  effective.'^ 

VI  —  MODERN   IMPROVEMENTS   IN   CHILDREN'S 
EDUCATION 

One  of  the  most  important  of  recent  events  is 
the  establishing  by  the  government  of  a  Federal 


AND    PROGRAMS  289 

Children's  Bureau,  for  the  expert  study  of  the 
conditions  of  childhood,  and  suggestions  for  its 
betterment.  This  included  among  other  things, 
the  outlook  over  their  education. 

The  new  school-houses  built  both  in  city  and 
country  are  finer  than  have  existed  before,  and 
the  ideas  of  education  are  widening  daily. 
Clubs  should  take  up  some  of  the  following  sub- 
jects : 

The  health  of  school  children;  what  is  being 
done  to  improve  it?  Study  the  new  sanitation 
and  ventilation  of  school-houses;  the  disappear- 
ance of  the  common  drinking  cup;  the  doctor's 
care  of  eyes,  teeth,  throats,  spines  and  ears;  the 
supply  of  breakfasts  to  the  under  fed;  the  out- 
of-door  schools  for  tubercular  pupils;  the  train- 
ing in  cleanliness. 

The  vocational  schools  in  thirty  states,  with 
manual  training,  domestic  arts,  industrial  work 
and  agriculture.  Also  vocational  guidance  in 
choosing  a  business;  finding  situations,  etc.  The 
schools  for  exceptional  children,  the  foreigner, 
the  backward,  the  crippled,  the  blind,  the  epilep- 
tic, the  morally  defective. 

The  Montessori  sj^stem;  is  it  successful.'*  Com- 
pare with  the  kindergarten. 


290       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

The  training  in  patriotism;  saluting  the  flag; 
birthdays  of  great  men,  etc. 

The  graded  country  school  of  to-day;  compare 
with  "  the  little  red  school-house."  School  play 
grounds  in  city  and  country.  Gymnasiums. 
Athletic  fields.  Close  with  a  discussion:  What 
is  the  standing  of  your  local  school.'*  Do  teacher 
and  parent  work  together?  Is  the  school  board 
doing   its   best.^* 

VII MODERN   MUNICIPAL   ART 

Municipal  art,  is  art  applied  to  cities.  Its  aim 
is  to  build  up  an  entire  city  with  a  view  to  sym- 
metry, beauty  and  utility. 

An  Art  Commission  is  appointed  when  a  city 
decides  to  become  beautiful,  and  this  draws  up  a 
far-reaching  plan.  Then  all  buildings  put  up 
must  conform  to  this,  and  nothing  can  be 
done  at  hap-hazard.  Slums  must  disappear, 
and  model  tenements  take  their  place;  streets 
must  be  cut  through  congested  districts  to 
relieve  them;  business  blocks  must  not  be 
over-high;  inartistic  public  buildings  and  monu- 
ments must  give  way  to  others;  parks  must  be 
opened,  trees  planted  along  the  streets,  and 
boulevards    laid    out.      See   what   Chicago   and 


AND    PROGRAMS  291 

Minneapolis  have  accomplished  in  making  them- 
selves over. 

Discuss  foreign  pities  which  are  symmetrical, 
notably  Paris  and  Berlin;  speak  of  our  own  capi- 
tal, Washington,  D.  C;  show  pictures  of  well- 
lighted  streets,  of  a  good  skyline;  of  superior 
paving.  Show  pictures  also  of  objectionable 
street  advertising;  electric  signs;  alternate  high 
and  low  buildings,  ornate  court-houses;  ugly 
statues. 

From  the  different  magazines  get  illustrations 
of  the  "  Garden  Cities  of  England,"  and  other 
beautiful  towns.  Notice  what  can  be  done  with 
different  building  materials,  and  with  vines  and 
flower  boxes  on  a  city  residence  street. 

Discuss  the  sky  scraper;  is  it  necessary .f*  What 
of  apartment  houses?  of  elevated  railroads.'^  of 
disfiguring  gas  works,  chimneys,  manufactories.? 
What  can  women's  clubs  do  toward  making  the 
home  city  beautiful? 

See  C.  M.  Robinson's  The  Improvement  of 
Towns  and  Cities. 

VIII  —  MODERN   BENEVOLENCE 

More  money  is  given  away  to-day  than  ever 
before  in  the  history  of  the  world.     It  is  called 


292        WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

"  the  era  of  magnificent  giving."  Two  hundred 
milhon  dollars  is  spent  in  benevolence  yearly  in 
the  United  States  alone,  and  it  is  estimated  that 
in  ten  or  fifteen  years  from  two  to  four  billions  will 
be  given  annually.  Old  methods  are  passing  away, 
and  new  ones  taking  their  place.  The  subject 
of  modern  giving  is  one  of  immense  importance. 

Clubs  should  introduce  the  study  with  a  re- 
sume of  benevolences  in  the  past;  gifts  toihospi- 
tals,  asylums,  colleges,  libraries,  art  galleries, 
museums,  missions  and  other  institutions;  then 
take  up  more  recent  giving  to  such  things  as 
model  tenements,  homes  for  tubercular,  settle- 
ments, institutional  churches,  homes  for  working 
women,  the  Mills  hotels,  trade  and  technical 
schools,  homes  for  convalescents,  seaside  homes 
for  children,  pensions  for  professors;  modern 
schools  for  the  blind,  the  crippled,  the  orphan, 
teaching  self  support.  Notice  that  the  trend  of 
giving  to-day  is  toward  prevention  of  suffering 
as  well  as  its  cure. 

Great  gifts  to-day  are  largely  in  favor  of  science. 
Note  the  great  medical  research  laboratories  in 
New  York,  and  what  they  already  accomplished; 
also  the  endowment  for  individuals  on  special 
Imes  in  which  they  show  marked  ability.    Study 


AND    PROGRAMS  293 

what  is  being  done  by  legislatures  in  establish- 
ing laws  about  bequests,  their  trusteeship,  and 
time  limitations,  and  the  new  theory  that  no 
gift  should  be  bestowed  without  the  possibility 
of  change,  since  in  twenty  years  conditions  alter. 
What  of  making  and  breaking  wills?  of  funds  left 
for  institutions  which  may  not  be  always  needed? 
of  protection  to  society  through  state  boards,  etc.? 
Read  the  article  on  Giving  in  The  Survey,  De- 
cember 28,  1912,  which  discusses  the  various 
phases  of  modern  giving. 

IX  —  MODERN  DEVELOPMENT  OF  COUNTRY  LIFE 

Clubs  may  divide  this  subject  into  two  heads, 
and  have  several  programs  on  each. 

1.  The  farmer.  After  years  of  obscurity,  the 
life  of  the  farmer  has  suddenly  become  of  immense 
importance  to  society.  To-day  the  Bureau  of 
Agriculture  and  other  forces  are  rapidly  changing 
its  future.  State  fairs,  granges,  courses  of  in- 
struction for  men  and  women  in  school-houses,  and 
**  farmer's  bulletins  "  give  instruction;  experiment 
stations  deal  with  such  difficulties  as  weeds, 
soils,  drainage,  and  pests,  and  teach  scientifically 
about  cattle,  poultry,  bee  keeping,  crops,  and 
the  dairy.    Public  and  high  schools,  colleges  and 


294       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

universities  have  courses  in  agriculture,  which 
teach  beside  the  ordinary  farm  work,  forestry, 
how  to  have  good  roads,  how  to  take  up  unusual 
work. 

The  telephone,  the  automobile  and  the  parcel 
post  all  bring  the  farmer  nearer  town.  Speak  also 
of  the  Commission  on  Country  Life,  and  its  work; 
of  abandoned  farms ;  of  the  farmer's  wife,  and  her 
problems;  of  the  farmer's  sons  and  daughters, 
and  their  future.  How  can  life  be  made  more  easy 
and  attractive  on  a  farm.'^ 

2.  Country  Homes.  Notice  the  extraordinary 
growth  of  the  country  home  for  all  the  year,  in- 
stead of  for  summer  only.  What  are  its  difficulties 
and  what  its  advantages?  Read  of  large  estates, 
and  describe  some  in  the  Adirondacks,  in  the 
vicinity  of  Boston,  New  York,  in  the  South,  and 
West;  illustrate  with  pictures  from  magazines. 
Have  a  paper  on  Gardens,  and  describe  some; 
read  from  the  many  books  on  this  subject.  Take 
up  landscape  gardening,  and  discuss  its  possibili- 
ties. What  of  country  sports?  of  golf,  tennis, 
hunting,  motoring,  etc.?  of  bungalows,  camps, 
seashore  cottages,  etc.?  of  country  lanes,  of 
game  preserves,  forest  parks  and  the  like.  Speak 
of  the  enormous  literature  on  country  life. 


AND    PROGRAMS  295 

X  —  SOCIAL   SERVICE 

Social  service  is  of  distinctly  modern  growth. 
It  is  the  intelligent  understanding  of  the  needs  of 
to-day  and  of  the  best  way  to  meet  them.  Clubs 
should  study  it  under  some  or  all  of  these 
heads : 

Read  of  the  Schools  of  Philanthropy,  where 
modern  methods  of  relief  are  taught,  and  the 
workers  are  trained  for  service  in  some  branch ;  and 
the  American  Institute  of  Social  Service,  the 
object  of  which  is  the  gathering  and  disseminating 
of  information  on  all  social  thought  and  service. 
The  latter  publishes  monthly  a  pamphlet  on 
present  day  problems  which  is  excellent  for  refer- 
ence. 

Discuss  welfare  work,  the  care  of  employers 
for  employees;  what  has  been  done.''  the  ventila- 
tion of  work  rooms;  safe  machinery;  pensions, 
insurance,  hospital,  savings  bank,  care  of  sick  at 
home,  food,  etc. 

Settlements;  their  origin  and  history;  what 
can  neighborliness  do  for  the  poor.^^  Read  of  the 
work  of  Toynbee  Hall  and  Hull  House. 

The  Juvenile  Courts;  their  origin  and  work. 
The  Big  Brother  and  Big  Sister  movement. 


296        WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Work  for  the  defective;  for  paupers;  insane; 
consumptives;    idle. 

Prisons,  and  modern  prison  reform. 

For  children;  creches;  free  kindergartens; 
seaside  homes;  floating  hospitals;  pure  milk  and 
ice. 

Relief  of  congestion  in  cities;  parks  and  play- 
grounds;  recreation  piers. 

Legal  Aid  societies  and  help  for  the  aliens; 
legislation  on  women's  and  children's  labor. 

The  Charity  Organization  societies;  nursing  of 
poor;    relief  of  want. 

Education;  moving  pictures;  music;  open-air 
Christmas  trees;    free  beaches,  etc. 

For  references  see  The  Gospel  of  the  Kingdom, 
published  by  the  American  Institute  of  Social 
Service,  and  The  Survey. 


AND    PROGRAMS  297 


CHAPTER  XXI 

The  Study  of  Childhood 
i  the  baby 

1.  The  Baby's  Welcome  to  the  Home  —  The 
mother's  anticipation;  the  brothers'  and  sisters' 
anticipation;  the  intelHgent  mother:  study  of 
modern  methods. 

2.  The  Bahifs  Environment  —  The  wardrobe; 
the  hygienic  nursery;  the  atmosphere  of  cheer- 
fulness. 

3.  The  Baby's  Physical  Development  —  The 
handicapped  child  (nerves,  temper,  defects);  food; 
sleep;  the  out-of-door  sleeping-room;  the  child 
and  the  doctor. 

4.  Reading  from  The  Luxury  of  Children,  by 
Martin. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Oppenheim :  The  Devel- 
opment of  the  Child.  S.  H.  Rowe:  The  Physical 
Nature  of  the  Child  and  How  to  Study  It. 

Begin  the  discussion  of  the  day  with  a  paper 
on  the  Modern  Science  of  Eugenics:    How  Far  is 


298       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

It  Practical?  Have  a  Talk  on  the  Spoiled  Baby, 
over-fed,  over-amused,  over-indulged;  contrast 
with  one  on  The  Normal  Baby.  Close  with  read- 
ings or  recitations  on  Babyhood,  poems  from 
Eugene  Field,  Stevenson,  and  others. 

II  —  SCHOOL 

1.  The  Kindergarten  —  Its  value  to  manners. 
Is  it  a  good  preparation  for  later  work.f^ 

2.  The  Public  School  —  Training  children  to 
regular  habits  of  study.  Dealing  with  individual 
diflficulties.  Desk-mates.  Moral  influence  of 
child  on  child. 

3.  Parent  and  Teacher  —  Relations  of  interest 
and  friendship.  Mutual  suggestions.  The  back- 
ward child. 

4.  The  School  and  Health  —  Sanitation  of  the 
school.  Danger  of  contagion  (the  individual 
drinking-cup,  etc.).  Watchfulness  over  sight 
and  hearing.    The  out-of-doors  school. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Herbert  Spencer:  Ed- 
ucation. Luther  Burbank:  Training  of  the 
Human  Plant.  J.  Mark  Baldwin:  Mental  De- 
velopment in  the  Child  and  the  Race.  G.  Stanley 
Hall:  Aspects  of  Child  Life  and  Education. 
Irving  King:   Psychology  of  Child  Development. 


AND    PROGRAMS  299 

The  school  hfe  of  the  child  should  be  discussed 
from  the  standpoint  of  both  parent  and  teacher. 
The  watchful  care  over  the  child's  morals  is  an 
important  topic.  The  child's  home  work,  how 
much  should  be  done;  and  at  what  hours,  is  a 
subject  for  discussion.  The  school  dress  of  little 
girls,  the  tidiness  of  both  boys  and  girls,  school 
lunches,  the  plays  of  the  noon-hour,  are  all  sug- 
gestive. Beautifying  the  school-room  with  pic- 
tures, casts  and  flowers  may  well  be  considered. 

Ill  —  PLAY   AND   PLAYMATES 

1.  The  Place  of  Play  in  Child  Life  —  The  de- 
velopment of  body  and  mind  in  infancy,  child- 
hood, and  youth.  Intelligent  direction  of  play  by 
parents  and  teachers.     Cultivation  of  originality. 

2.  Outdoor  Play  —  The  building  instinct :  the 
sand-pile,  miniature  houses,  practical  play-houses, 
camps.  Plays  of  imagination:  Indians,  pirates, 
hunters.     Athletic  games. 

3.  Indoor  Play  —  Contests  of  intelligence  and 
skill.  Group  games:  anagrams,  twenty  questions, 
etc.     Manual  and  educational  plays. 

4.  Playmates  —  The  parents'  control.  Ethics 
of  play :  honesty,  courage,  honor,  etc.  Moral  and 
social  training  of  play. 


300       WOMAN'S    CLUB   WORK 

Books  to  Consult  —  Karl  Groos:  Play  in 
Man.  Newell:  Games  of  American  Children. 
Gomme:  Children's  Singing  Games.  Leland: 
Playground  Technique  and  Playcraft. 

Discuss  the  value  of  letting  boys  and  girls  grow 
up  together  as  playmates.  Athletic  games  for 
girls  is  also  a  good  topic  to  take  up.  Play-rooms  for 
children,  with  suggestions  for  the  decoration  of 
walls,  treatment  of  floors,  and  furnishings  may 
be  discussed.  Sunday  plays  for  small  children 
will  be  found  full  of  interest.  The  growth  of  the 
provision  for  play  for  city  children  is  treated  in 
many  magazines  of  recent  date,  with  illustrations 
of  playgrounds,  garden  spots,  roof-gardens  and 
the  like. 

IV  —  DISCIPLINE 

1.  The  Trained  Parent  —  Preparation  for  par- 
enthood. Character  and  knowledge.  Discussion 
of  helpful  books. 

2.  The  Normal  Child  —  The  faults  to  be  ex- 
pected: forgetfulness,  lack  of  cleanliness,  lack  of 
promptness,  temper,  etc.  How  shall  we  deal  with 
the  ordinary  faults  .f* 

3.  Special  Faults  —  Disobedience,  obstinacy, 
lack  of  self-control,  dishonesty,  lying.    Discrim- 


AND    PROGRAMS  301 

ination  as  to  seriousness.  How  far  is  imagination 
responsible  for  falsehood? 

4.  Punishments  —  Discuss  the  question:  Is 
physical  punishment  ever  allowable?  Consider 
Abbott's  theory  of  gentle  measures.  Fitting  the 
punishment  to  the  offense.  The  child's  sense 
of  justice.     When  are  punishments  outgrown? 

Books  to  Consult  —  Jacob  Abbott:  Gentle 
Measures  in  the  Management  and  Training  of  the 
Young.  E.  H.  Abbott:  On  the  Training  of 
Parents.  G.  Stanley  Hall:  Youth:  Its  Education, 
Regimen,  and  Hygiene. 

V  —  MORAL   TRAINING 

1.  The  Ideal  of  the  Parent  for  the  Child  —  Neces- 
sity of  a  definite  plan  in  the  parent's  mind.  Dis- 
cussion of  books  that  have  helped. 

2.  Methods  of  Training  —  Story-telling  and 
reading  aloud.  Books  for  the  child.  The  value 
of  hero-worship. 

3.  The  Contagion  of  Character  —  Childhood's 
keen  vision.  Force  of  example  versus  reproof. 
The  child  as  partner  in  the  home  work. 

4.  Special  Training  —  Truthfulness.  Chivalry 
and  the  spirit  of  honor.  Purity.  How  shall  the 
mystery  of  sex  be  taught  to  a  child?  Unselfishness. 


302       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Books  to  Consult  —  Felix  Adler:  Moral  In- 
struction of  Children.  C.  C.  Everett:  Ethics  for 
Young  Folks.  W.  T.  Harris:  Moral  Educa- 
tion in  the  Public  Schools.  Horace  Bushnell: 
Views  of  Christian  Nurture. 

The  department  of  child-study  most  discussed 
to-day  is  that  of  sex  education,  and  club  women 
should  certainly  take  it  up.  Consider  its  necessity, 
the  age  at  which  instruction  should  begin,  and 
the  person  who  should  give  it,  the  teacher  scien- 
tifically, or  the  parent  at  home. 

VI  —  MANNERS 

1.  Manners  at  Home  —  Table  manners.  How 
early  should  they  be  taught,  and  how.f^  Self-con- 
trol. Modesty.  Consideration  for  servants  and 
tradespeople.     Courtesy  to  elders. 

2.  Manners  to  Playmates  —  Teasing  and  bul- 
lying. Must  our  boys  fight .f*  Should  tale-bearing 
be  encouraged.^  The  spirit  of  honor  and  gener- 
osity.   Courtesy  between  children. 

3.  Society  Manners  —  Definite  training  in  so- 
cial conventions.  The  place  of  the  dancing- 
school.     The  value  of  children's  parties. 

4.  The  Relation  of  Manners  and  Morals  —  Are 
American  manners  deterioriating.'^     The  teaching 


AND    PROGRAMS  303 

of  manners  by  historic  stories.  Sympathy,  the 
foundation  of  courtesy.  Self-restraint,  the  essence 
of  manners  and  morals. 

Books  to  Consult  —  Gow:  Good  Morals 
and  Gentle  Manners.  Wiggin:  Lessons  on  Man- 
ners. Dewey:  How  to  Teach  Manners  in  the 
School-room. 

A  talk  may  follow  the  first  paper,  pointing 
out  that  kind  treatment  of  animals,  especially 
of  pets,  tends  to  teach  children  gentleness,  sym- 
pathy, and  consideration.  A  little  paper  might 
take  up  the  subject  of  the  modern  ideals  of  man- 
ners. 

VII  —  OCCUPATIONS 

1.  Reading  —  Direction  by  parents  and  libra- 
rians. To  how  much  liberty  in  taste  and  choice 
is  a  child  entitled.?  Lists  of  good  books  for  chil- 
dren. Discussion:  What  good  books  can  we 
suggest.?  What  books  shall  we  avoid:  poorly 
written,   over-sentimental,   and   with   low   ideals. 

2.  Gardening  —  The  children's  plot.  Flowers 
and  vegetables.  Household  rewards.  Competi- 
tion and  prizes.  The  autumn  exhibition.  Chil- 
dren's books  about  gardening.  Gardens  for  city 
children. 


304       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

3.  Care  of  Fowls  and  Animals  —  Moral  value: 
sense  of  responsibility,  kindness,  practical  sense. 
Raising  of  fowls  for  market.  Ownership  of  ani- 
mals: the  lamb,  the  colt,  the  calf,  the  pig. 

4.  Household  Work  —  Value  of  the  regular 
task  in  teaching  system,  order,  and  punctuality. 
Housework  for  boys:  care  of  rooms,  cooking,  and 
kitchen  work.  For  girls:  the  normal  routine  made 
attractive.  Reading  from  Blessed  Be  Drudgery, 
by  Gannett  and  Jones. 

5.  Handicraft  —  The  children's  work-room  and 
its  furnishing.  Work  in  wood,  metal,  plaster, 
and  leather.  Drawing,  painting,  embroidery, 
etc. 

6.  Music  —  Should  all  children  be  taught  to 
play  and  sing.^ 

Books  to  Consult  —  Gertrude  Jekyll:  Chil- 
dren and  Gardens.  Holton  and  Kimball:  Games, 
Seat  Work,  and  Sense  Training  Exercises.  R.  K. 
Row:  Educational  Meaning  of  Manual  Arts  and 
Industries. 

Prepare  in  advance  a  discussion  on  the  subject 
of  children's  earning  money.  Should  they  be  paid 
for  doing  daily  household  duties,  or  not.'^  Does 
earning  money  tend  to  make  boys  mercenary? 
Take  up  also  occupations  for  invalid  children  and 


AND    PROGRAMS  305 

convalescents,  and  notice  that  handicraft  is  better 
than  games  for  these. 

VIII  —  THE   CHILD   AND   MONEY 

1.  Sources  of  Supply  —  Gifts,  earnings,  and 
prizes. 

2.  The  Question  of  the  Allowance  —  At  what  age 
should  a  child  have  an  allowance.?  What  should 
it  cover  .f*  How  much  liberty  should  a  child  have 
in  using  it.^^ 

3.  Lessons  in  the  Use  of  Money  —  Spending. 
Saving.    Giving. 

4.  Benevolent  Tendencies  —  How  to  cultivate 
the  spirit.  How  to  divide  the  money  given.  The 
chief  objects  to  which  to  give. 

5.  The  Ethical  View  —  Responsibility  for  prop- 
erty. Honesty  in  acquiring,  wisdom  in  using, 
generosity  in  giving. 

Books  to  Consult  —  C.  B.  Burrell:  The 
Mother's  Book.  J.  W.  Jenks:  Life  Questions 
for  High  School  Boys.  Julia  W.  Dewey:  Lessons 
on  Morals. 

This  is  considered  a  mercenary  age,  and  a 
discussion  may  be  prepared  on  such  subjects  as 
these:  How  shall  we  keep  our  boys  from  becoming 
either  extravagant  or  mercenary  .^^   How  may  our 


306       WOMAN'S    CLUJB    WORK 

girls  be  taught  to  understand  the  value  of  money? 
What  ought  to  be  the  relative  emphasis  on  money 
in  our  home  life? 

IX  —  THE   CHILD   AND    RELIGION 

1.  The  Beginning  of  Religious  Training  — 
Prayers  for  children  to  use.  Telling  Bible  stories. 
The  children's  grace  at  table.  Children's  ques- 
tions about  God  and  heaven:  how  shall  they  be 
answered? 

2.  The  Child  and  the  Church  —  The  Sunday- 
school  kindergarten  and  primary  class.  Suitable 
hymns  for  children.  Children's  societies.  At 
what  age  should  a  child  begin  to  attend  church 
service? 

3.  Sunday  Hours  at  Home  —  Need  of  cheer- 
fulness and  common  sense.  Sunday  occupations: 
Sunday  books,  Sunday  toys  and  games.  Dram- 
atizing Old  Testament  stories.  Sunday,  the 
father's  opportunity.    The  twilight  hour  of  song. 

4.  The  Age  of  Development  —  Intellectual  ex- 
pansion and  doubt.  How  shall  we  deal  with  this 
phase?  The  time  of  critical  decision.  How  much 
influence  should  the  parent  exert? 

Books  to  Consult  —  George  Albert  Coe: 
Education    in    Religion    and    Morals.      George 


AND    PROGRAMS  307 

Hodges:  Training  of  Children  in  Religion.  Sir 
Oliver  J.  Lodge:  Parent  and  Child.  E.  D.  Star- 
buck:  The  Psychology  of  Religion.  E.  P.  Saint 
John:  Stories  and  Story  Telling.  Horace  Bush- 
nell:    Christian  Nurture. 

The  Sunday-night  supper  should  have  a  large 
place  in  the  life  of  the  home.  The  children  may 
prepare  it  alone  or  with  slight  assistance,  and  it 
will  be  found  an  excellent  way  of  interesting  them 
if  they  tire  of  the  long  afternoon.  The  subject 
of  the  memorizing  of  Scriptural  passages  and  of 
hymns  may  be  discussed,  and  personal  experiences 
on  this  line  may  be  given. 

X MODERN    CHILD    STUDY 

1.  The  New  Movement  and  Its  Breadth  — 
Interest  among  physicians,  teachers,  clergymen, 
psychologists,  and  parents.  Some  reference  to 
the  vast  literature,  encyclopedias,  etc.  Discussion 
of  helpful  books. 

2.  Physical  —  Study  of  food  values  for  the 
individual  baby  and  the  growing  child.  Fresh  air 
and  sleeping  outdoors.  The  outdoor  kindergarten. 
Sensible   clothing.      Gymnastics   for   deficiencies. 

3.  Menial  —  Care  against  overstimulation.  In- 
teresting  diaries   of   development.      Cooperation 


308       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 


between  teacher  and  parent.  Studying  the  child's 
individuality.  Books  for  successive  ages.  Private 
versus  pubHc  schools.  What  is  an  ideal  education? 
Is  it  possible  under  ordinary  conditions? 

4.  Moral  and  Religious  —  How  are  morals  best 
taught?  Books  that  help  the  parent  and  teacher. 
Individual  problems  (lying,  etc.).  Knowing  our 
neighbors'  children,  their  character  and  influence. 

5.  Practical  Outcome  —  Mothers'  clubs.  -  Mag- 
azines of  child  culture.  Increased  place  given  to 
child  life  in  the  modern  world.  Are  children  too 
prominent  in  the  home  life? 

Books  to  Consult  —  Mrs.  M.  F.  Washburn : 
Study  of  Child  Life.  M.  P.  E.  Groszmann:  The 
Career  of  the  Child.  E.  A.  Kirkpatrick:  Funda- 
mentals of  Child  Study.  W.  B.  Drummond:  The 
Child,  His  Nature  and  Nurture. 

The  subject  of  mothers'  congresses  may  be 
discussed:  Are  they  practically  helpful,  or  merely 
speculative?  Present  the  topic  of  institutions 
for  children,  homes  and  asylums  for  orphans,  for 
the  blind,  the  crippled,  the  feeble-minded;  also, 
children's  courts  and  the  Big  Brother  movement. 
Discuss  at  this  meeting  the  question  of  adopting 
children. 


AND   PROGRAMS  309 


CHAPTER  XXII 

Miscellaneous  Programs 

When  clubs  have  serious  subjects  for  their 
year's  work,  which  require  considerable  reading 
and  the  writing  of  substantial  papers,  it  gives 
variety  to  arrange  the  general  program  in  such 
a  way  that  a  light  program  comes  between  two 
heavy  ones;  or  at  least  to  have  every  third 
meeting  of  quite  different  character  from  the 
rest. 

Often  clubs  can  invite  a  speaker  from  outside 
to  take  up  most  of  the  hour;  a  traveller,  a  settle- 
ment worker,  a  college  professor,  an  actor,  a 
journalist,  a  judge  of  a  Children's  Court,  a  stu- 
dent of  bird  life,  all  have  something  worth  while 
to  contribute.  Perhaps  a  writer  will  read  from  his 
books;  or  a  musician  will  sing  or  play,  or  an 
artist  will  tell  of  life  in  the  ateliers  of  Paris  or 
Rome.  Even  in  a  small  town  one  can  find  some 
one  who  has  a  friend  who  will  come  and  help  in 
such  ways,  and  there  is  no  better  way  to  rouse 


310       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

interest  in  a  club  than  to  offer  such  meetings 
occasionally. 

Where  it  is  impossible  to  provide  anything  of 
this  kind,  it  is  still  a  good  plan  to  have  miscel- 
laneous meetings  from  time  to  time;  but  there  is 
always  the  danger  that  these  will  be  spoiled  by 
having  them  consist  of  odds  and  ends,  a  paper  on 
one  subject  followed  by  another  on  something 
which  has  no  relation  to  the  first,  and  perhaps  a 
third  which  is  still  further  afield.  It  is  best  to 
have  but  one  topic  for  each  meeting,  with  music 
if  possible,  and  a  social  hour  afterwards. 

One  of  the  best  ways  to  begin  a  miscellaneous 
program  is  to  take  up  current  events  for  ten  min- 
utes. It  is  possible  to  plan  systematically  for 
these,  ^o  that  one  member  is  responsible  for  a 
report  on  foreign  affairs,  wars  or  politics,  or  what- 
ever is  of  national  importance  anywhere;  an- 
other for  great  scientific  discoveries  or  important 
inventions;  a  third,  noteworthy  music;  a  fourth, 
for  the  great  book  of  the  hour;  a  fifth,  for  any- 
thing of  especial  importance  to  women.  No  one 
should  write  these  brief  outlines,  but  merely  give 
them  informally.  The  material  can  be  found  by 
following  the  daily  papers,  or  looking  up  articles 
in  review  magazines. 


AND    PROGRAMS  311 

Clubs  which  study  a  historical  or  literary  sub- 
ject often  find  it  interesting  to  begin  these  mis- 
cellaneous programs  with  a  roll-call,  members 
answering  to  their  names  with  quotations  from 
the  authors  of  the  period,  or  from  one  author 
alone.  There  are  books  of  quotation  which  give 
the  best  short  lines  for  such  recitations,  and  one 
gets  a  good,  if  brief  idea  of  writers  in  this 
way. 

As  to  the  matter  of  miscellaneous  programs, 
the  subjects  should  not  be  too  heavy  and  papers 
should  not  be  too  long  or  too  seriously  written. 
Popular  themes,  the  books  of  some  well-known 
author,  the  magazines  of  the  day,  a  philanthropy, 
a  brief  study  of  a  political  figure,  all  work  out 
easily.  Above  all,  whatever  theme  is  selected, 
there  should  be  a  discussion  of  the  subject  at 
the  close  of  the  meeting.  Women  do  not  speak 
easily  and  naturally  impromptu,  and  it  is  an  im- 
mensely valuable  training  to  be  obliged  to  present 
one's  views  clearly,  concisely  and  to  the  point 
before  even  a  small  audience,  and  even  a  short 
experience  of  this  kind  in  a  club  is  of  enormous 
assistance.  If  the  subject  of  the  discussion  is 
announced  in  advance  members  may  prepare 
themselves  to  take  part. 


312       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

I  —  A   CENTURY   OF   DRESS 

A  very  simple  but  most  interesting  program 
for  one  miscellaneous  meeting  may  be  prepared 
on  this  theme.  Divide  it  into  three  parts,  having 
the  first  paper  on  The  Dress  of  Our  Grandmoth- 
ers; speak  of  its  durability,  its  simplicity,  its 
lack  of  change  from  one  season  to  another;  men- 
tion the  bonnets,  mitts,  slippers,  muffs  _and 
fans;  illustrate  with  old  prints  or  fashion  plate 
or  illustrations  from  books  of  about  1820  and 
1830. 

The  second  paper  would  then  be  on  The  Dress 
of  Our  Mothers.  This  will  cover  the  periods  of 
1860,  with  its  hoopskirts,  its  coalscuttle  bonnets, 
its  shawls,  worked  collars,  and  cameo  pins;  1871 
too,  should  be  represented,  with  the  tied  back 
skirts,  the  small  hats  perched  on  chignons,  the 
ridiculous  sunshades.  Read  Miss  Flora  McFlimsey 
at  this  point. 

The  third  paper  would  be  on  Our  Own  Dress, 
showing  the  extreme  styles,  short,  with  scanty 
skirts  and  huge  hats.  Speak  briefly  of  the  sudden 
change  of  styles  and  their  causes,  and  the  tendency 
to  extravagance. 

Discuss  topics  such  as  these:    How  far  shall 


AND    PROGRAMS  313 

we  follow  the  dictates  of  fashion?  How  much  of  a 
woman's  income  should  be  spent  for  clothes? 
What  of  our  daughters'  dress? 

It  will  add  to  the  interest  of  this  program  if  the 
three  papers  are  read  by  members  in  the  costumes 
of  the  times  of  which  they  speak,  or  if  three  or 
four  tableaux  are  shown  illustrating  the  papers. 
Have  little  ballads  about  dress  sung  if  possible, 
the  Old  Grey  Bonnet,  the  Owld  Plaid  Shawl,  and 
Oh  Dear,  What  Can  the  Matter  Be?  among 
others. 

Several  programs  might  easily  be  made  from 
this  outline;  one,  on  Peasant  Dress,  with  illus- 
trations from  all  countries;  another  on  Colonial 
Dress;  a  third  on  Quaker  Dress.  By  using  the 
dress  of  all  nations  and  all  times,  an  entire  year 
might  be  delightfully  spent  on  the  subject  of 
Women's  Costumes. 

II  —  EMERSON   AND   HIS   TIMES 

Clubs  which  prefer  literary  study  will  find 
this  subject  most  interesting,  and  like  the  pre- 
vious one,  capable  of  expansion  into  many  pro- 
grams. 

Begin  with  a  roll-call,  the  responses  being  se- 
lections from  Emerson's  prose  and  verse. 


314       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

The  first  paper  would  be  on  his  boyhood,  his 
parents,  his  home  life  and  education,  his  marriage, 
his  ministry,  his  quiet  life  in  Concord. 

The  second  paper  would  take  up  the  friends 
so  closely  associated  with  him,  especially  Alcott, 
Margaret  Fuller,  Thoreau,  Longfellow  and  Whit- 
tier.  The  story  of  Brook  Farm  may  come  in 
here,  or  have  a  special  paper  by  itself;  close  with 
his  travels  in  England. 

The  last  paper  would  be  on  Emerson's  work  as 
author  and  lecturer;  of  his  place  in  his  own  day; 
of  what  Englishmen  thought  of  him,  especially 
Carlyle;  of  the  influence  of  his  essays  on  young 
men. 

Have  readings  from  prose  and  verse;  read  also 
from  some  estimates  of  him  by  great  writers.  See 
A  Memoir  of  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson,  by  James 
Eliot  Cabot.  Discuss,  Is  Emerson's  place  among 
philosophers  what  it  was  a  generation  ago? 
Does  the  modern  idea  of  social  service  find  en- 
couragement in  him.f^  What  was  his  attitude  in 
regard  to  individualism? 

Ill  —  CHILDREN   AND   BOOKS 

This  is  one  of  the  topics  on  which  it  would  be 
interesting  to  have  the  club  invite  some  speaker. 


AND    PROGRAMS  315 

perhaps  a  librarian,  to  speak.  She  would  probably 
take  up  some  of  the  following  topics.  The  effect 
of  the  public  library  for  children  of  the  poor,  of 
their  interest  in  it,  their  delight  in  the  warm, 
charming  reading-room,  their  growth  in  personal 
cleanliness  as  they  learn  to  care  for  the  books  en- 
trusted to  them.  Of  what  books  children  draw 
from  a  library;  of  the  reading  of  history,  of 
fairy  stories,  of  poetry,  of  books  of  adventure. 
Definite  and  helpful  suggestions  will  be  given  for 
children  who  have  books  at  home,  of  what  parents 
should  give  them  to  read,  and  how  to  interest 
them  in  good  literature. 

If  no  speaker  can  be  had  for  the  meeting,  divide 
these  topics  into  two  or  three  papers,  and  have 
members  write  or  speak  on  them. 

Close  with  a  discussion  on  these  lines:  What 
books  have  replaced  the  Rollo  Books,  Little  Prudy, 
and  the  Elsie  Books  .'^  What  of  giving  children 
grown-up  writers  to  read  such  as  Shakespeare, 
Don  Quixote,  Mallory  and  Bunyan.^^  Does  much 
reading  of  stories  vitiate  their  taste  for  better 
literature.'^ 

This  program  will  be  more  delightful  if  songs 
about  children  are  interspersed;  Eugene  Field's 
verses  set  to  music  by  De  Koven  are  admirable. 


316       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

IV  —  MURAL   PAINTING 

In  preparing  this  program  look  up  in  advance 
plenty  of  illustrations  from  historical  books  on 
art  and  architecture,  magazines  of  art,  and  prints 
and  photographs  of  famous  examples,  such  as  the 
Sistine  Chapel. 

The  first  paper  will  of  course  deal  with  the 
earliest  form  of  mural  painting,  found  in  Egypt, 
Assyria,  and  Greece.  Describe  these,  and  notice 
the  colors  used  by  the  Greeks. 

The  second  paper  should  speak  of  the  wonderful 
paintings  in  churches,  of  altar  pieces,  and  the 
decorations  in  fresco  of  walls  and  ceilings;  select 
from  the  many  examples  of  churches  in  Italy. 
Then  the  guild  halls  of  the  middle  ages  should  be 
mentioned,  and  the  curious  work  on  bridges  and 
elsewhere  in  Germany.  The  third  paper  should 
speak  of  the  extraordinary  interest  to-day  in 
mural  painting;  note  that  of  the  Houses  of 
Parliament  and  other  places  abroad;  show  pic- 
tures of  the  work  of  Abbey  and  Sargent  in  the 
Boston  Public  Library,  and  of  Blashfield  and 
La  Farge  in  the  Congressional  Library  at  Washing- 
ton and  elsewhere,  and  the  excellent  mural 
paintings  on  our  public  buildings,   court  houses 


AND    PROGRAMS  317 

and   Capitols,  and   some  public  schools   in   New 
York. 

Discuss:  The  Cost  of  Mural  Paintings  To-day: 
Are  They  Worth  While? 

V  —  THE   ART   OF   CONVERSATION 

This  subject  opens  a  whole  literary  field  and 
will  be  found  delightful  to  expand  into  several 
meetings.  A  roll-call  might  be  answered  with 
famous  hons  mots  from  some  of  the  men  and  women 
to  be  studied.  Sidney  Smith,  Charles  Lamb  and 
others  have  left  many. 

The  first  paper  might  be  on  famous  conversa- 
tionalists; mention  Johnson,  Horace  Walpole, 
Macauley,  Fanny  Burney,  Samuel  Rogers,  Lady 
Mary  Wortley  Montagu  and  Sidney  Smith, 
among  many  others. 

The  second  would  follow  with  some  account  of 
famous  salons,  especially  those  of  France  at  the 
time  of  Recamier;  see  Sainte-Beuve's  essays  on 
this  theme.  What  of  corresponding  salons  else- 
where .f' 

A  third  paper  would  speak  informally  of  con- 
versation to-day;  is  it  becoming  a  lost  art.'*  Do 
we  consider  it  seriously.'^ 

This  paper  will  lead  naturally  to  a  discussion  on 


318       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

these  and  similar  themes:  What  of  our  home 
table  talk?  Should  children  be  taught  to  con- 
verse rather  than  to  chatter?  Shall  we  prepare  our- 
selves in  advance  for  conversations  at  dinners  and 
other  social  occasions?  What  is  the  relation  be- 
tween a  good  conversationalist  and  a  good  lis- 
tener? 

VI  —  MENDELSSOHN 

When  club  members  can  not  only  write  papers 
but  also  play  and  sing,  this  will  be  found  a  pop- 
ular little  program:  Mendelssohn's  famous  grand- 
father; his  father,  interested  in  his  son's  genius; 
his  early  home  life;  his  sister  Fanny;  the  little 
Sunday  morning  concerts;  his  education,  his 
versatility,  his  gay,  affectionate  nature. 

The  second  paper  may  be  on  the  early  begin- 
nings of  his  work  as  a  composer;  of  his  first  opera; 
the  overture  to  Midsummer  Night's  Dream,  and 
the  formation  and  work  of  his  choir.  Speak  of  his 
travels  in  England  and  on  the  continent,  of  his 
marriage;  his  call  to  Berlin  by  the  king,  and  his 
operas  and  oratorios;  the  foundation  of  his  music 
school;    and  last  his  death. 

The  third  paper  should  discuss  his  position 
among  musicians,  his  greatest  work  and  its  last- 


AND    PROGRAMS  319 

ing  qualities.     Discuss:    Does  Mendelssohn  rank 
among  the  great  musicians? 

Between  each  two  papers  have  played  some  of 
the  Songs  Without  Words,  and  others  of  his  best 
known  compositions,  and  have  some  of  his  songs 
sung,  or  selections  from  his  oratorios;  or  they 
may  be  given  by  using  musical  records.  The 
Lark,  I  Would  that  My  Love,  and  Had  I  the 
Wings  of  a  Dove,  are  among  the  best. 

VII  —  COLLEGES   FOR   BOYS   AND    GIRLS 

This  is  another  popular  program,  and  one  easily 
prepared  and  discussed.  Divide  it  into  two  parts: 
first,  the  great  universities,  Harvard,  Yale,  Prince- 
ton and  Columbia;  their  history;  their  oppor- 
tunities; show  pictures  of  each  campus.  Follow 
with  a  paper  on  the  small  college;  its  advantages; 
the  state  universities;  college  athletics;  fraterni- 
ties, dangers  of  college  life;  does  college  prepare  for 
a  business  life? 

Next  take  girls'  colleges  in  the  same  general 
way;  describe  Bryn  Mawr,  Vassar,  Wellesley  and 
Smith;  and  show  pictures  of  them.  Have  pa- 
pers on.  Is  a  college  education  essential  for  all 
girls?  and  What  are  its  advantages  over  the 
boarding-school,  and  its  disadvantages?  and  What 


320       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

of  athletics  for  girls?    and  Should  their  studies 
be  those  of  men's  colleges  entirely? 

Discuss  these  subjects,  and  add  others:  Does 
college  life  unfit  a  girl  for  life  at  home?  Is  a  college 
girl  likely  to  demand  a  career?  Does  she  marry? 
Have  some  college  songs  sung:  Fair  Harvard, 
Old  Nassau,  Neath  the  Elms  of  Dear  Old  Yale, 
and  others. 

VIII  —  THE  CARE  OF  CHILDREN  AND  THE  AGED  BY 
THE   STATE 

This  is  one  of  the  subjects  in  line  with  the  phi- 
lanthropy of  to-day,  and  will  be  found  suggestive 
of  social  work  for  women's  clubs. 

The  first  paper  might  be  on  Orphan  Asylums; 
the  care  of  young  children,  their  food,  dress, 
education  and  personal  oversight.  What  of 
adopting  children  from  asylums?  What  of  placing 
children  in  homes  instead  of  asylums? 

The  second  paper  would  take  up:  the  defective 
children  to  be  cared  for  in  asylums.  The  blind, 
deaf,  epileptic  and  idiots. 

The  third  paper  would  be  on  the  care  of  the 
aged;  of  almshouses,  especially  those  of  the 
county;  are  they  sanitary,  well  cared  for  and 
cheerful?     Are  the  old  people  well  fed,  clothed 


AND    PROGRAMS  321 

and  amused?  Are  husbands  and  wives  sepa- 
rated? 

The  last  paper  might  touch  upon  English 
almshouses  on  the  cottage  plan  and  contrast 
them  with  our  own  large  institutions. 

Discuss  the  near-by  almshouses,  and  question 
what  can  be  done  to  better  conditions 

IX  —  RECENT   BOOKS 

A  group  of  three  or  at  the  most  four  books  are 
quite  enough  for  a  miscellaneous  program  for  one 
afternoon.  They  may  be  selected  on  one  general 
theme,  such  as  biography,  or  on  several.  The  jBrst 
book  suggested  here  is  a  delightful  life  study, 
that  of  Robert  E.  Lee,  Man  and  Soldier,  by 
Thomas  Nelson  Page.  Notice  the  clearness  and 
beauty  of  the  style,  the  appreciation  of  the  man's 
character  and  work,  and  the  well  chosen  de- 
scriptions of  his  associates.  Read  part  of  a  chap- 
ter near  the  close  of  the  book. 

Second,  have  a  paper  on  The  Promised  Land,  by 
Mary  Antin,  one  of  the  really  great  books  of  to-day. 
Tell  the  story  of  her  life,  reading  here  and  there 
from  her  own  words;  show  how  she  was  handi- 
capped and  yet  how  she  rose,  and  speak  of  the  fact 
that  such  women  bring  inspiration  to  our  shores. 


322       WOMAN'S    CLUB    WORK 

Third,  take  The  Three  Brontes,  by  May  Sm- 
clair,  a  book  of  fascmating  interest.  Briefly 
give  a  resume  of  the  family,  and  speak  of  the 
work  of  each  sister;  compare  with  Clement 
Shorter's  The  Brontes  and  Their  Circle. 

Or,  for  a  program  on  several  topics,  have  these 
three  books  for  the  papers:  first.  The  Lady  of 
the  Decoration,  by  Frances  Little.  Give  a  re- 
view, with  its  story,  the  local  color,  the  humor  and 
pathos;    read  short  selections. 

Second,  take  Heretics,  by  Chesterton;  here 
again,  review  his  style,  his  mannerisms,  and  note 
his  light  touch;   read  briefly  from  two  essays. 

Third,  take  a  collection  of  short  stories,  perhaps 
Jacobs'  Dialstone  Lane.  Speak  of  his  quaint  dry 
humor,  his  sense  of  the  incongruous,  the  similar- 
ity of  his  captain-heroes,  and  the  absurdity  of 
his  plots.    Read  one  story. 

X  —  MARKETS 

For  a  last  program  take  the  subject  of  Markets. 
If  possible,  illustrate  some  of  these  foreign  mar- 
kets mentioned,  the  pictures  to  be  found  in  maga- 
zines. 

Flower  markets  will  make  a  first  paper;  notice 
those  of  Paris  especially,   near  the   Madclaine; 


AND    PROGRAMS  323 

of  Covent  Garden,  London.  Note  the  smaller 
flower  markets  in  connection  with  the  ordinary 
markets  of  cities. 

A  second  paper  may  discuss  famous  markets  in 
our  own  land,  notably  the  markets  of  New  Or- 
leans and  other  Southern  cities;  their  picturesque- 
ness;  their  value  to  the  housewife.  Are  they 
hygienic  .f* 

Third,  take  up  the  larger  aspects  of  the  sub- 
ject; our  great  meat  markets  in  cities  here  and 
abroad;  note  the  market  at  Smithfield,  London, 
on  Saturdays,  and  the  old  Fulton  Market  of  New 
York,  and  others.  What  can  be  done  to  regulate 
our  markets,  and  make  them  clean  and  whole- 
some.'^ What  have  women  done  here  of  recent 
years  to  clean  up  the  markets  of  the  West.f*  What 
of  foreign  markets,  especially  m  Germany  .^^ 

Discuss  the  practical  aspects  of  the  subjects. 
What  of  the  relation  of  farmers  to  customers.'^ 
Can  the  latter  insist  on  cleanliness  and  fair  trade.^* 
What  has  the  pure  food  legislation  done  on  those 
points? 

THE   END 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  AT  LOS  ANGELES 
THE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 


This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below 

IN  05 1987 


M0V2  7195G 

^cc  2  8  1950' 

AUG  15  195^ 
FEB  4"  1953 


iL  'M 


i  li 


JUL  2  3  198f 

IJ'onn  L-9-15r>i-3,'34 


JUL 

NOV  2.0  \^\ 

^  rC'D  LD-liRL 
4WK  NOV  1^1995 

^    OCT 
4  JAN  2  3  199^ 


RECDYRL  NAY 


m 


UNIVERSITY  of  CATJFORMA 


.'.  I 


"^  1  lllliilllliiiiiii 

3   1158  00249  2( 


AA    000  980  853    6 


